


It's a Cold and Broken Hallelujah

by boobtube1938



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha - Freeform, Banter, Blood, Emotions, Injury, Liam - Freeform, M/M, Werewolves, a/b/o dynamics, beta, conflicts, harry - Freeform, louis - Freeform, luck, niall - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-03-31
Packaged: 2018-09-19 03:39:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9416948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boobtube1938/pseuds/boobtube1938
Summary: He can do this. He must create the illusion that he's fine, that he's not afraid of standing in front of this angry mob. Whatever the outcome, he'll welcome it.Even if it means death.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is the first fic that I have posted in a while and one of the longest that I have ever done. This particular story has been sitting unfinished on my computer for the last year and a half and I have finally found motivation to finish it. I wanted to take a different route with this story. 
> 
> One huge difference is that there's not smut. Sorry. In my original draft there was going to be a huge scene with Louis and Harry doing to deed, but after a while, it did not feel right so I took it out. Again, sorry.
> 
> I listened to Hallelujah a lot while writing this story, I felt it fitting to have the title include the song. 
> 
> There's more that I could write, but I guess I'll let the story do more of the talking for me. The story is already complete, I just have to decide when I want to post the chapters and how to divide the story up. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this story!
> 
> \- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_‘Umf_ ’ Louis’ slender frame collides with a low hanging branch making him lose his breath and footing. He stumbles across the leaf-covered forest floor, trying to gain his bearings before picking up his speed again, weaving in and out of towering trees.

Howling of warning pierces through silence. It’s a promise to catch Louis’ huffing form.

“Shit shit shit shit.” Louis pushes his tiring feet, praying they don’t give out and have him become the creature’s next meal. “Ahh!” He trips over an uprooted tree root, rolling down a small incline. Pain shoots through his body, but before he is able to fully comprehend what exactly is hurting, he shoots back to his feet and continues running.

Adrenaline pulses through his veins, heartbeat thumping in Louis’ ears as he pushes himself harder, trying to make it until morning.

 _‘So stupid, why did I think this was a great idea? Stupid, stupid, stupid.’_ Louis curses at himself and his ability to not be able to find sleep. He had thought a peaceful walk through the woods in the back of his apartment would be a great way to exhaust his body and find sleep once he returned to his comfy bed.

During his walk, he had felt the hair at the back of his neck raise and an uneasy feeling as if someone or something was watching him. Louis kept his feet propelling him forward, ears straining for any noise out of place.

Crunching of twigs and low growling had Louis twisting to find the source of the sound. Off to his left, crimson orbs glowed that pierced Louis’ soul. Upon seeing the red eyes, Louis took off running.

He was going to die.

He can hear the thing getting closer, he’s not going to go without a fight even though he knows his chances actually surviving are slim.

Louis scans the darkness trying to find something that will give him some sort of upper hand. Straining his eyes, he spots a large wall of rock that he can climb, gaining a birds-eye-view of the area. Scrambling, he places his hands and feet in crevices of the rocks, propelling him up the side of the protruding earth.

Claws dig into human flesh and loud screaming of discomfort erupt from Louis’ mouth. The creature had caught up, nipping at Louis’ limbs. It wants a kill. Louis tries to kick the large beast off as his crash of adrenaline prevents him from doing harm to the creature. He tries to hoist himself higher by grabbing onto sharp rocks. On one particular move, his hands slip and his body now hanging on with four fingers on his other hand.

Rocks crumble, hitting the earth below.

 _‘I’m dead, this is it, good-bye.’_ Blue eyes are squeezed tightly shut waiting for the impending chomping of his bones.

More rumbling around Louis has him peaking open one eye. His prior movement of trying to grab the next bulging rock created an avalanche; the rocks falling on the blood-thirsty creature below. The creature loses its footing when a particularly large rock hits it, detaching it from the wall. The creature falls and hits the ground below with a sickening crunch as rocks fall on top of the now lifeless body.

Letting out a breath of disbelief that he was actually alive, Louis takes a moment to just exist. He tries letting his racing heart calm before descending the rocks.

Mournful howls echo through sleeping trees.

‘ _No no no no no’_ Louis chants. _‘This cannot be happening.’_

Large figures appear below the dangling Louis, all taking in the sight of the dead creature in front of them. Louis can see them moving, forming a circle around the animal that wanted Louis dead. He notices them bowing their heads as they mourn the loss of a member.

Louis tries to remain as still as possible, not wishing to draw attention to himself. However, his wish isn’t granted as the rock he has been holding on to wiggles free. Louis falls through the air, landing with a hard thump, eliciting a shock of pain to course through his body.

His vision turns blurry from the impact and he’s disoriented. He can feel things surrounding him, but unable to make sense of what is actually going on. Louis feels a foot nudge his prone form. He whimpers from the movement.

“He’s human.” A voice spits to Louis’ right, which, _what_? Last he had seen, even in his now dazed state, he remembers that there were large animals below, not humans.

“He needs to be killed! He killed our Alpha!” Voices ring out in agreement at the statement.

“End him!”

“Silence!” An authoritative voice booms over the surrounding crowd like a wave crashing into rocks during a storm, shushing all arguments that ring out. He can feel the same figure crouch beside him and a hand reaching out to take Louis’ chin in his grasp, forcing his head to the side.

Louis cries out in pain.

“We need to get him back to the Pack house.” Angered voices ring out at the comment. “Quiet!” A hush falls over the group. “We might not like it, but this human is our Alpha right now and must be saved. We will have a Pack meeting to discuss his future later, but now he needs to see The Healer.”

“Just kill him now, he’s not worth it! You were destined to be Alpha after…”

“Enough! He needs to be taken care of. We will discuss this as a Pack after we make sure he is stable.”

“He killed our Alpha without talking to the Pack, why must we…” The owner of the voice is slammed against the nearest tree, awakening the sleeping creatures that had taken home in the wood.

“I don’t like this any more than you do, Nick, but we have to protect him.” The voice snarls. “We’re not killing him until we make a Pack decision. Understood?”

“Yes, Harry.” Nick replies through clenched teeth at the Beta who has him trapped against unwelcoming bark of the tree.

Harry turns around to address the others. “We have to carefully move him, we are not sure of his injuries and we do not want to cause more harm.” Heads give a short nod of understanding. Harry moves towards the human alpha and crouches down again.

Louis’ vision has gotten clearer while he laid sprawled on the ground. His mind was still jumbled, making him unable to fully comprehend what was going on around him, but the shadows of shapes were becoming crisper, easier to identify one body from the next. He can see a hand in his peripheral vision. He flinches as he tries to move away, but limited to how much he can move due to his injuries. He whimpers from the unbearable pain.

“Shh, we’re going to help you” Harry tries to sooth the man. “We have to carry you to The Healer, it’s going to hurt, hang in there, yeah?”

Louis swallows as he mentally prepares himself for the pain that will course through his body. He clenches his teeth at the feeling of careful arms sliding under him. He tries to hold back his screams of discomfort as much as he can, but he can feel every jostle as Harry carries him to the house.

“Why hasn’t he passed out yet?” Louis wonders the same thing.

“Must be still too worked up.”

“Want me to make him pass out?” Louis isn’t sure if he wants or doesn’t want that to happen. The owner of the voice sounding too eager, a hint of happiness at the thought of Louis being unconscious.

“No, we wait for The Healer to make that choice.”

“Harry!” Huffing breath interrupts the conversation. “The Healer is waiting at the Pack house.”

“Thank you, Niall.” They must be close then, Louis thinks. Soon he’ll be surrounded by more of these people. He knows that he won’t be able to escape, that his luck has run out. “Hang in there, Alpha, we’re going to get you fixed up.” He knows that he won’t be around for much longer, that their efforts will be for granted, especially if he understood the conversation that took place when he was still on the forest floor. They were going to kill him.

Louis shuts his eyes to take stock of where his body was throbbing with pain. It wasn’t worth it, fighting to survive when he was just going to be killed later on. He would rather die from these injuries he received fighting than dying from the hands of these people.

“Stay with me, Alpha!” His heartbeat starts to dwindle as Louis takes his fate in his own hands. “Alpha!” He wishes he could say good-bye to his mother and siblings, tell them that he loves them one more time. Louis wishes he could let them know that he didn’t die without a fight. He lets out a breath, signaling his acceptance of his death.

A jolt to his chest has Louis shooting his eyes open, gasping in a shuddering breath to his deprived lungs. “He’s back!” Louis is on a table surrounded by bustling people trying to save his life. He can feel hands on him, holding him down as an older woman with greying hair works on his mangled leg.

He tries thrashing against the hold on his limbs, only resulting in pained screaming. “Hold him!” the woman growls over her shoulder. “Someone needs to calm him down! Where’s Harry?”

“Here. I’m here.” Harry steps through the doorway into the temporary operating room. He steps up to the restrained Louis, taking a seat next to Louis’ head. Harry places his hands on both sides of the other’s head, leaning forward to whisper words of comfort into Louis’ right ear.

Louis clenches his teeth, harsh breathing escaping through tight lips as he’s assaulted with more pain. He arches his back which results in hands pressing him back to the blood-soaked table beneath him. Louis screams in protest.

“Alpha, you need to fight through the pain. Focus on my voice instead.” Harry tries to distract Louis from what was happening. “You’re going to be fine, they’re almost done fixing up your leg and it’ll be just like new.”

“You’re just going to kill me.” Louis seethes through his teeth. “Just let me die.”

“It hasn’t been decided.”

“It has. Let. Me. Die.”

Harry’s face turns hard glancing at the broken man on the table. “No.” It’s cold. “Alpha’s die a noble death. This will not be how our Alpha will die.”

Louis, who needs answers about what is happening, is about to ask questions when a blood-curdling screech rips from his throat and he finally welcomes the blissful darkness.

“He’s out.”

“Finally. Poor soul needs the protection of unconsciousness.” The Healer continues her work. “We’re almost done with the leg. Get his torso prepared.” Harry watches on as his fellow pack mates move around him as they follow The Healer’s orders. What remains of the new Alpha’s shirt is torn off, exposing his bloodied chest.

“He sure put up a fight.” A comment is made about Louis’ appearance.

“He was dangling from rocks.” Harry retorts. “I think he just got lucky.”

“Even if to be true, he still fought to survive. He may be human, but he’s strong. Hard to break.”

“Maybe, but he won’t last long here. It’s unheard of. A human taking Alpha?”

The Healer shrugs as she continues her work on the new Alpha. “Might be unheard of, but not impossible.”

“Don’t tell me that you’re thinking that he should stay Alpha.”

“I’m just saying it’s peculiar, don’t you think? A human was able to take out the Alpha, even if he hadn’t meant to. He still did it and survived.”

“Do you think it means anything?”

“I think it means that we have a new Alpha who seems like a strong individual. I think the Pack may benefit from this being if they allow it.”

Harry doesn’t particularly like that answer. A human has no place in a pack of werewolves, let alone claiming the title of Alpha.

  * -



“Three broken ribs, a broken leg and twenty stitches for the claw marks. He has lesions covering his body that are still bleeding, but not deep enough for stitches. His dressings should be changed every few hours to prevent infection.” The Healer informs Harry, who has taken a seat at the side of the bed their new Alpha is currently sleeping in. “He’ll need to be on bed rest for a few weeks.”

Harry nods, letting The Healer know that he heard her words. The Healer exits, leaving Harry and the sleeping Alpha alone in the spare room of the Pack house.

“Fuck.” Harry stomps around the room. “What are we supposed to do with you?” He addresses the sleeping Alpha. “A fucking human Alpha.” He thunks his head against the closest wall, one arm raised above, draping over his curly locks. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.” Harry turns around glancing at Louis. “How are you even able to protect us? You barely survived tonight.”

“But he survived.” Harry whips around to face the owner of the voice. The Elder. The woman, who has been around many centuries shuffles into the room, holding tightly onto her cane.

Harry bows his head in respect towards the woman. “Elder.”

“Young one.” The Elder responds, stepping closer to stand by the Beta, grey eyes turn towards Louis. “He’s strong.”

“He’s weak.” Harry scoffs. “Ow!” The Elder thwacks Harry on the back of his head with her cane. He down turns his eyes. If it were anyone else to argue with The Elder, they would have been punished, however, The Elder has grown to be Harry’s mentor, a grandmother figure in the young boy’s life when he became an orphan at the age of three; parents killed by a rogue.

The Elder gives a fond smile. “You have lots to learn, Young one. This man here is far from weak.”

“But he’s human! He can’t protect the Pack!” Harry retorts. “How can we expect him to fight to protect us if he’s easily killed?”

“Ay, but he’s not.” Harry looks at The Elder with confusion. “Young one, do you think if he was easily killed, he would be here right now?”

“He got lucky! He wanted to give up, he died We brought him back.”

“Death did claim him.” She agrees. “But he lived.” Her voice turned to a sharp, high whisper like wind whistling through the screen door. “He may be human, Young one, but he’s strong and capable.” She watches Harry’s face. She reaches up a hand to make him look at her. “Trust me, Harry, this one will bring great things to this Pack, do not underestimate him. He was chosen and he will provide, if given the chance.” The Elder takes a step back after patting Harry’s cheek. “Tea now.” She backs out of the room, closing the door to leave Harry alone once more with Louis.

Harry slides down the bedside dresser, bending his knees to rest his head on. “This was not supposed to happen.” A pained whimper brings Harry to attention. The Beta strains his neck to look at the human. Louis’ eyes are screwed up in pain and his mouth is set in a hard line. His hands at his side are tightening in the blankets that surround him, clearly in much discomfort.

“Fuck.” His inner wolf is screaming at him to tend the Alpha, make him comfortable. “No, I-I can’t, he’s not…” His wolf’s thoughts get louder, yelling at him for not helping their Alpha. He tries to fight his inner urge, but is unable to. His instincts win. Harry hangs his head in defeat, sighing as he climbs to join Louis.

Harry carefully maneuvers the Alpha, earning noises of distress, until Louis is situated comfortably between the V of his legs. He wraps his arms around Louis’ waist, closing his eyes to focus on giving the other enough ease to fall into a peaceful slumber.

Louis’ features relax, a deep breath of easiness is released between his pink lips. Harry scans his gentle face. “You got yourself into one hell of a mess.” He wants to hate this person, wants him to pay for what he has done to their Alpha and their Pack.

Pack members are fighting their instincts, their inner wolf feeling the pull of the new Alpha, but their human sides are refusing to accept the new addition.

Harry hopes Liam is out there keeping things calm as possible. The last thing this place needs is an uprising from disgruntled werewolves.

Knocking invades the silence. “Harry?” It’s Niall, a Beta who is new to the pack, he is still trying to find his place.

“Come in.” Niall creaks open the door, shuffling in and shutting the door behind him. Standing uncomfortably on the other side of the room, he bares his neck to Harry before speaking, even being told a dozen times that he doesn’t have to bare his neck to anyone in the Pack. He’s still trying to get used to the ways of his new life.

“Um, I, can I…I don’t…” Niall huffs, annoyed he can’t get what he wants to say out. A deep breath in before he continues. “I-uh…” blue eyes shift to the bruised body. “Is he going to be ok?” Is what he goes with instead.

“We can’t get attached.” What is he saying? It’s like this human being is like some type of pet. Depending how long it takes for this being to wake up, members are obviously going to get attached. Harry wishes that this situation wasn’t so shitty.

“I-I know, just wanted…” Niall takes a deep breath, shaking his head of previous thoughts. “Everything is so confusing.” He whimpers alongside the new Alpha, who whines subconsciously.

“I think everyone is confused right now. I definitely am not happy with this development.” Harry’s eyes soften when he glances back up at the fidgeting blond. Harry sighs. “Come on, just be careful of his wounds.” Niall hesitates for a second before he scurries to the bed, situating himself at the Alpha and Beta’s side.

“Harry?” The head Beta hums in question, prompting Niall to go on. “What do you think is going to happen?”

“Don’t know, Ni.”

“I don’t think it is right to kill him. He was just doing what any other normal person would do.” Harry doesn’t respond. “Harry?”

“Yes, Niall?”

“Why was our Alpha after this person anyways?”

“He must have gotten too close to the territory line.”

“That doesn’t make sense, others have gotten close to the line and they were never attacked, what makes this one special, why did…”

“Niall.” Harry interrupts. “Go to sleep.”

“But…”

“Sleep. We’ll deal with all of the questions later.”

Niall huffs. “Fine.” The Irishman closes his eyes.

Harry runs his hands through Niall’s blonde locks as he snores. He thinks of the Niall currently sleeping versus the one the Pack had picked up a few months ago. The poor Beta was left for dead by his former pack because he was seen as the weakest one and would only cause harm to the others due to his inability to protect properly.

The old Alpha, Harry’s eyes water at the thought, had told Harry to take Niall back to the Pack house, nurse him back to health and given a permanent home with the Blood Moon Pack. Everyone was quick to accept the new addition, the Beta quickly becoming acquainted. It was now hard to think of life before the blonde joined their pack.

Niall, when having trouble coping or a panic attack, would seek out the Alpha or Harry, the second in command, for comfort. Even with the old Alpha being killed and this human taking the title, Pack members felt drawn towards the new Alpha, even if they tried to fight it. The bond, if the human were to continue with the title of Alpha, will grow in time when the members of the Pack start to trust the human.

It’s a big _if_.

Harry’s not sure what is going to happen, not sure if the Pack will fully accept this human who killed their beloved Alpha. If it was not for the fact that the title transferred, this human would have been killed on the spot without questions being asked.

The Elder’s words echo in his mind, how he will bring great things to the Pack, how could he? How could a weak human provide for creatures of the supernatural? Many questions arise, but none will be answered until the meeting takes place.


	2. Chapter 2

A week has passed since Louis has made his appearance and the new Alpha is still fast asleep recovering from his injuries. Pack members from the area come to the house, dropping off various items for the injured Alpha.

Harry has only left Louis’ side a handful of times, afraid of being gone too long and something happening, like the human waking up and attacking the others of the Pack.

“How’s Alpha doing?” The Elder asks as she visits for the second time since Louis’ arrival.

“His heart is getting stronger. The Healer believes he should be waking up soon.”

“Wonderful.” She has a gleam in her eye. “His abilities will flourish if the Pack allows.”

“I still don’t see how this tiny human will be a great leader if we let him live.”

“Patience, Young one, you will see in time if he’s given the chance.” She pats Harry on his curly hair before departing. “The meeting will take place an hour after he wakes. We mustn’t prolong the decision.” The door closes with a soft snick, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts and Louis.

“You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?” Louis’ tired, bruised eyes bore into Harry’s soul. Louis’ voice is crackly from the lack of use over the past week. “Should have just killed me when I was laying on that ground barely alive.”

“You’re awake.”

“Not for long if you guys have any say in it.”

Harry rolls his eyes. “How are you feeling?”

“Like death.”

“Perfect.”

Louis harrumphs in annoyance and closes his eyes, swallowing hard. “Why didn’t you just let me die when I gave up?”

“That’s not an Alpha’s death.”

“So you nurse me back to health just to give me a _proper_ death? You do talk some shit, you know.” Louis opens his eyes to stare at Harry. He does try to support himself on his elbows, wanting _something_ to do, but as the pain becomes too much from the movement it forces him to fall back towards the soft mattress below him.

“You’re still injured.”

“Thanks Captain Obvious, are you also going to tell me that I look like shit?”

“I feel like you always look like shit. This is probably an improvement.”

“Asshole.” Louis tries to shift more, wanting to find a more comfortable position than the one he is in now. His face screws up in a grimace. “So,” He starts. “When is my death sentence going to be carried out?”

“Nothing has been decided.”

“When will it be?”

“Soon.”

“That’s helpful.” Blue eyes scan Harry’s face. “Can you at least tell me what happened that night?”

“Our guess is that you got too close to our territory, which had our Alpha going after you to destroy the threat.” A blank expression is shot at Harry.

“What?”

“Our Alpha, the one _you_ killed, felt like you were a threat to the Pack.”

“You’re still talking shit. I have no idea what you’re even on about. I was walking through the woods ‘cause I couldn’t sleep when everything went to hell.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t go walking through the woods after dark.” Harry bites back, legs extend as he stands to pace the room. “If it wasn’t for you, everything would still be fine.”

Louis is angered, how could this _whoever the fuck_ he is say something like that? Why does he think fighting for your life is some weird concept? Everything is bullshit.

“If I am such a burden, you should have just let me die.”

Harry tears at his hair, spinning around abruptly to the prone alpha. “You don’t listen! We couldn’t just let you die out there! You’re our Alpha and until we figure out what the fuck we’re doing, we have to keep you alive or else the Pack will fall apart.”

Louis has a puzzled look on his face. “Why do you keep calling me alpha?” He steers away from the heated discussion,

“Out of everything, that is what you’re focusing on?”

Louis slightly shrugs. “It’s the one constant thing that has been coming out of your mouth. Why?”

“That’s your title.” Harry states matter-of-factly.

 “How is that…I don’t…”

“You killed our Alpha, transferring the title to you.”

“Alphas are like….”

Harry cuts Louis off. “Leaders of werewolves.”

Louis blanches. “Whoa, wait, what? Were-”

“Wolves. They’re real. You’re surrounded by them, in the center of the Pack Territory. You’re talking to one right now. Head Beta, in fact.” Louis is speechless, his mouth opening and closing as he tries to conjure up words. “The thing that you killed was our Alpha.”

“It was trying to kill me! It wasn’t even like I had a chance to even survive that thing! I don’t want the title; you can take it.”

“I have to kill you.”

“What?” This conversation was getting out of control. Louis knew that he did something bad, but for him to be killed because of a stroke of luck? Or, in this case, bad luck.

“That’s how the title is passed over. The Alpha-to-be must kill the old Alpha. There can only be one after all.” Harry pauses briefly before finishing his thought. “I was supposed to do the honors, guide the old Alpha to the other side peacefully. You took that away from me and he died a painful death.”

Louis tries to comprehend the information, thousands of thoughts running through his mind. “What are the options?”

It is Harry’s turn to be confused, anger starting to seep out of his body to open space for confusion. “Options for what?”

“I know one is that you kill me to claim the title. What’re the other ones _?” ‘What are my chances of living?’_ is the underlying question.

“The Pack decides. You die or keep the title.”

“I remain Alpha?”

“Correct.”

“What if I don’t want it?”

“You die.”

“That simple?”

“Yup.” Harry pops the ‘p’.

Louis is quiet, mulling over what Harry had just told him. He doesn’t want to be Alpha, doesn’t know the first thing in leading a pack of werewolves, hell, he didn’t even know that they existed until five minutes ago.

“What do you want?”

“What?” And this human thinks that Harry says some weird shit. Nothing of this conversation makes sense.

“What do you want? I took the title from you, it’s only fair to hear what you want. I’ll go with it, no matter what the Pack decides.”

“It’s not that simple.” Harry informs the Alpha. “You can’t just make a huge decision like that on your own.”

“From what I know about the tales surrounding werewolves, the Alpha does make the final decision and the Pack must obey the Alpha’s wishes. If you feel killing me to gain the title will benefit the Pack, I will let you kill me. What do you want?”

Harry schools his face, not wanting any emotion to show through. “You took what would have been rightfully mine.” Louis nods. “The Elder sees something great in you, keeps telling me that you’ll provide for this pack.”

“What does that mean in terms of what you want?”

“I want what is best for the Pack.” Harry stands from the wooden chair. He needs to get out of this room. He can’t deal with all of these questions right now. There are too many other important things that need answers and dealing with before these questions. “I must inform the others you are awake. I’ll be back to take you to the meeting.” Without another word, Harry slips through the passageway, leaving Louis to internally freak out over what is about to happen.

He doesn’t see himself getting out of this situation alive. He wishes that there was another way for this problem to be resolved, but from how the man reacted and answered his questions, there aren’t many options. He dies to give the title over to the man, or he lives and continues being the Alpha, which most likely will result in his death anyways. It’s truly a lose-lose situation for him. Here he is, just barely starting his life. All he ever really wanted was a normal life, but instead he’s faced with a death penalty because he accidently killed an Alpha werewolf and became the new Alpha.

Holy shit, he’s an Alpha!

An Alpha of a supernatural group of werewolves. Werewolves that actually exist.

How he finds himself in these situations, he has no idea.

Guess his former geography teacher was wrong though. He did amount to something.

“So brave, Strong one.” Louis’ heart leaps at the voice, eyes landing on a wrinkled woman with a cane. She chuckles. “Don’t mean to fright. I mean no harm.” She steps closer, enough to reach her hand out and grasp one of Louis’. “You’re meant for great things.” Her eyes go wide at the last word. “You have put on a brave face during your ordeal, never once showing weakness.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m known to the Pack as The Elder, I have insight of what is to come. All come to me to seek their futures.” She caresses Louis’ hand. “You’re frightened.”

Louis loudly swallows as his reply.

“You hide it well.” She musters over a thought. “You would give up your life for this Pack.” The Elder doesn’t state it as a question. “You don’t even know anyone outside of Harry, but yet you would allow yourself to be killed if it meant the Pack would strive.” Louis remains silent. “Relax, Strong one, the right decision will be made. Your life will be spared, letting the title be kept by the rightful owner.” She leans forward, kissing Louis’ forehead. “More will be explained later, you will have ample time to process after the decision.”

\---

Harry, followed by Liam, stalk into the room that Louis has briefly claimed as his. The human Alpha, who was left with his own thoughts for the last hour, jumps at the intrusion. His body gives protest at the sudden movement.

“Sorry, Alpha.” Harry states. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Here to take me to my death sentence?” Louis ignores Harry’s apology, his voice wavering; the only indication of his nervousness.

“You don’t know that.”

“It seems pretty clear to me.” Louis says.

“We don’t know how this will go, but the sooner we get to the meeting, the sooner we’ll know what to do next.”

Louis takes a deep and painful breath, readying himself for when he starts to move to get to his feet. He starts to shift his body closer to the edge of the bed. His body screams in protest as excruciating pain shocks his system. His bones are still broken and bruised and he knows that he shouldn’t be moving in his condition, but he has to do it this way. He has to put on a strong front in front of the Pack that he is going to meet.

“What are you doing?” Harry questions as he steps forward.

“Moving so that I can stand.”

“You’re not going to stand.” It comes out as a command.

“Um, what? How else am I going to get to the meeting?”

“We’re here to carry you there. You haven’t walked in a week, your leg is still broken and we don’t want you to pass out from the lack of oxygen. Your ribs and the rest of your body still needs to heal.”

“Does it really matter if they heal?” Louis snaps back. “Tell me why it matters?” Harry opens his mouth to protest. “No, don’t give me that _‘you’re the Alpha’_ bullshit either.” Harry snaps his mouth shut. “That’s what I thought. If I didn’t magically get this title, you would have already killed me. The Pack will vote to transfer the power over to you. Don’t really care if I’m healed or not. Just make sure that my family receives my body afterwards. They deserve that much.”

Louis makes short movements to get himself out of the bed. He leans against the nearest wall to gain some sort of balance with his lack of oxygen making him dizzy and his broken leg splayed out to his side.

Harry and Liam take a step forward.

“No, I would rather go in there without you two carrying me. Let me have this.” Louis takes a wobbled step towards the bedroom door. Each step he takes brings him closer to passing out, but he continues forth. Louis isn’t really sure how his movements are possible at all, but he doesn’t spend time questioning it, chalking it up to adrenaline filling his body. Nothing that is happening in his life right now makes sense, why should this?

Harry and Liam flank his sides, standing close enough to support the human if he begins to fall.

Louis’ breathing is labored as the pain increases with each step he tries to take. He has to stop multiple times and wait for the black dots dancing in his vision to fade before inching forward again. He finally makes it to the open door, grasping tightly onto the wooden frame to lean against.

There are only a few stray Pack members bustling about the house, majority of them already having made their way to where the meeting was to take place.

Without a word, Louis starts down the hallway decorated with pictures of past and present Pack members, thunking his casted leg against the wooded floor.

The process of getting to the meeting place takes longer than anyone had anticipated. The Pack was getting restless as they waited.

“Ok, I’m good. I can do this.” Louis gives himself a pep talk before entering the large room filled with curious and angry eyes. Instinctively, Liam and Harry move closer to the limping Alpha as shouts of outrage rise above the already noisy room.

Pushing through the closing crowd, the trio makes it to the slightly raised platform that makes it easier to see out over the crowd.

To say Louis is terrified is an understatement.

“Quiet!” Harry yells the command. “Take a seat and we shall begin.”

\---

Shouts of protest bounced against the walls as the meeting progressed throughout the early evening. Pack members giving their input about the situation.

“He’s human, he can’t be our Alpha.”

“That vile being killed our beloved Alpha. He’s a hunter in disguise. He wants to kill us!”

“How can this Pack be intimidating with a weak human as our leader?”

“He’ll be the first one killed when there’s a fight!”

“He will send us into battle without being by our side. What Alpha doesn’t fight with their Pack?”

“He can’t even fully stand during this meeting. He’s _weak_.”

Louis, who was leaning against the nearest wall, tries to straighten up at the last comment. As his body cracks itself into place, pain becomes almost a little too much, but he can’t let that show. He needs to face these members of the Pack with a brave face.

“Why doesn’t the Alpha speak?” Another member spits. “Beg us to spare his life?”

Harry, angered by the questions and statements made by the Pack, grabs Louis’ shirt to pull him forward, bringing him close to the front line of the gathered Pack. Louis groans, but otherwise keeps his mouth wired shut.

“This human has been nothing but strong since the title was transferred to him.” Harry begins. He tightens his hold on Louis’ shirt. “Even with his injuries, he forced himself to walk here because he didn’t want to appear weak. He may not have been standing fully, but he never sat down. He stood to the best of his abilities to show respect.”

“You’re siding with _him_? A human over your _family_?

“This _human_ asked me what I wanted when he found out that he would have to be killed for me to have the title. He put his own needs and wants to the side for mine. For the future of this Pack. He’s willing to sacrifice himself for this Pack. I may not be happy with the situation, but he hasn’t shown me any reason to kill him just to claim the title. He’s proven that he’s strong.”

“What about after he’s healed? Sure he wants to look strong now, what happens when he’s healed and doesn’t have to keep up the charade?”

“We’ll cross that problem if we get to it.”

“You’re willing to take that chance?”

Harry begins to speak, only to be cut off by Louis’ pain-laced voice. “There are doubts about me taking rein. Do not fight your Pack on these matters, listen to them.” Harry whips his head to look at Louis in the eyes. Louis takes a staggered step forward once he is free from Harry’s grasp. He now addresses the mass before him. A hush falls over the crowd.

Louis tries to straighten up as much as his body will allow, refusing to let the pain show. “I have discussed the Pack’s welfare with your Second-in-Command and I now hear your protests. The title needs to go to the rightful owner.” Louis turns towards Harry before he falls to his knees, bowing his head to show submission and acceptance of his fate. The ache is agonizing, but he fights through it.

A hush has fallen on the ones gathered in the meeting hall.

Harry is frozen, stunned at Louis’ bold actions. This human who knows nothing of this Pack and here he is sacrificing himself for people he doesn’t even know; thinking it to be for the greater good. How could one not at least want to give this man a chance to lead? Louis hasn’t done anything but show his strength during this whole ordeal.

The clearing of a throat has heads turning towards the owner. “Um, hi.” Niall. His voice is so soft, nerves making themselves known. “I wanted to…um, Alpha here hasn’t really done…”

“He killed our true Alpha!” Another Pack member snaps, making Niall shrink in on himself.

“Quiet! Let Niall speak!” Harry orders.

“Um, well, Alpha hasn’t, um…” Niall scratches the back of his head, looking downwards. “We should give him a chance. If things aren’t going well, we’ll revisit…this?”

“What if things get worse in the short amount of time we allow him to play Alpha?”

“We’re a strong Pack, he may be Alpha, but if we see his motivation going awry, we’ll be able to stop it.”

A few beats of silence pass before another voice calls out in agreement.

Soon, majority of the Pack were calling out in agreement.

Harry is not sure why or how their views changed so quickly, but if he had to bet, it was all down to Niall, the one who had the hardest time trusting people, and what he had stated.

“It is settled.” Harry starts. “We’ll continue with Louis as Alpha. If problems arise and he is claimed unfit to continue as Alpha, we’ll reconvene.”

Surprisingly, there were no more protests about the future of the Pack. Harry can’t explain the difference in attitude after Niall had spoken up, but he’s grateful.

Bodies start filing out of the room after Harry had dismissed everyone. He scans his eyes over the crowd to eventually look down upon the still kneeling form of their Alpha.

“Alpha.” Harry addresses Louis, who remains quiet. The Second-in-Command kneels to come face-to-face with the other being. “Alpha?”

Louis’ voice is gurgled as he tries to find breath around his constricted airway. “I-is every…gone?” Harry can see in his peripherals that the Pack has indeed left, leaving only Louis, Liam and himself.

“They’re gone.”

Louis promptly tips over to fully crumble to the ground. Harry’s hands move about the other’s body and Liam comes rushing over from his spot by the door to help.

“Al…”

“Louis. P-please call m-me Louis.” Louis grits through his teeth.

“What do we do?” Liam finally questions, standing back not knowing what he should be doing.

“Louis, what do you want us to do?”

“Kill me.” Even with the amount of pain he finds himself in, Louis still manages to make a joke.

“After all of that? Not an option.”

“T-throw me to the wolves.”

“Already thrown.”

“Fucker.”

“Yeah, well, you’re one to talk.” Harry glances at Liam. “Let’s get this one back into bed for his beauty rest. He needs a great amount of it.” Louis maneuvers his fingers to flip Harry off.

“E-even in my c-condition I look b-better.”

Harry smirks.

Minutes later, Louis is placed in bed and promptly falls asleep. Liam and Harry stand back from the bed and look at the slumbering form of their newly appointed Alpha.

“What do we do now?” Liam questions.

“I’m in charge until he’s back to full health.”

“You know that this news will travel fast.”

“We’ll be ready for whatever happens.”

“You think he’ll be what this Pack needs?”

Harry sighs. “Truthfully?” He pauses. “I’m not sure. The Elder says that Louis is the one that this Pack needs, that he’ll bring great things to us. I’m not fully convinced, but I think he could be.”


	3. Chapter 3

“I want to go home.” Louis states in lieu of a greeting one morning when Harry comes to the room with breakfast. Louis hates breakfast, especially the food that the Pack has come to give him every day since he has arrived. He has asked Harry what type of food was present in the monstrosity. Harry replied with eggs, bacon and toast. Louis wasn’t born yesterday; he knows that there is no fucking way the shit they feed him are those three common breakfast items. He says as much, but Harry always just shoots him a look and forcibly feeds Louis the unidentifiable food.

Without looking up from the tray, Harry denies Louis’ request with a stern no.

“What? Why can’t I go home? I have to tell my mum that I’m still alive. She’s going to have the police out there looking for me.”

“It’s not safe for you to go home. Why don’t you just call her?”

Louis looks dumbfounded. “You want me to just call her? I’ve been gone for however long, almost died along the way, and you just want me to give her a simple call?”

Harry shrugs and leans his hips against the bedside table. He crosses his arms and looks down at Louis. “You can’t leave the territory. Not only are you weakened, but the Pack is still adjusting to a newly appointed Alpha, _you_. If you were to leave, even for a few hours, things could go wrong. Liam and I would have to accompany you on your trip, leaving the Pack vulnerable. Anything could happen and I’m not willing to take that risk.”

“What if my mum comes here?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“You told me that I can’t leave, now you’re telling me that she can’t come here. What the fuck?”

“It’s not...”

“Safe.” Louis finishes for Harry. “Why the hell do you say that it’s not safe? It’s my mum. I highly doubt she’s out to kill me or the Pack. She doesn’t even know the Pack exists!”

“That’s the problem!” Harry starts pacing the room. “She doesn’t know the Pack and the Pack doesn’t know her. She needs to be recognized and accepted as a Pack member before she even thinks about stepping foot onto this land.”

“That’s another reason to let her in. She needs to be accepted by the Pack, what better way to do that than by bringing her here?”

“No. She’s not coming here.”

Now Louis is angry. Nothing that is spewing from Harry’s mouth is making sense.

“She’s either coming here or I go to her. I am not telling her that I am fine over the phone.”

“Well then I guess she’ll have to keep wondering what happened to her son. Neither one of those options are going to happen.”

“How the hell is she to be accepted by the Pack if you refuse to take the first step? This is such bullshit!”

Harry storms closer to the Alpha and gets in Louis’ face. “You know what’s bullshit? This whole fucking situation! Our real Alpha went batshit crazy for some fucking reason that we still can’t figure out and we’re stuck with a human Alpha who is trying to compromise our safety! We can’t have these random ass people showing up in our territory because we don’t know what caused our Alpha to attack. Sorry if this situation is going your way, it didn’t go our way either.” He mumbles something under his breath, thinking it to be soft enough that Louis couldn’t hear.

Harry looks up at the ceiling, he can’t look at Louis’ face, not knowing what to expect if he did. He knows if he looked, he would see a face that is full of hurt and other unidentifiable emotions. He leaves the room without another word shortly after.

Louis sits with his head bowed and emotions swirling within.

_“I wish the Pack would have chosen the other option.”_

  * -



With the coming days, food trays with untouched meals pile up. Louis refuses to eat or even acknowledge the person who enters the room. Harry has tried on multiple occasions to force the Alpha to eat with no success.

“If this is about your mum, you better get over it. We just can’t do what you want to do. The Pack’s safety will be at risk.” Louis doesn’t even bat an eye. He continues to stare at the far wall with a blank expression. Harry pulls at his hair in frustration.

He walks to the place in front of Louis and crouches down. “You need to eat. This is not healthy, especially when you’re still trying to heal from your wounds.” Louis remains unmoving.

Harry releases an aggravated huff and gets up. He starts pacing around the room until he hears a knock on the door. “Not a good time.”

“Harry.” Niall. Harry can’t take his anger out on him.

Harry’s shoulders sag. “Come in, Niall.”

Carefully, Niall opens the door and slips through the entrance way. He closes the door behind him. “Um, do you think… um…”

“What is it Niall?” He probably feels the emotions rolling off of the Alpha and has been dragged here by his inner wolf.

Niall glances at Louis. “C-can I…?”

“Do whatever you like. Nothing has worked so far.” Harry outstretches his arm towards the Alpha, signaling Niall that he may go towards the other man.

Niall wrings his hands together before taking a step forward. He comes to stop in front of Harry. “C-can you, um, I don’t think Alpha wants you in here.”

Harry stares, stunned at Niall being so upfront. He’s not complaining per say, he’s just shocked. “And how do you know he doesn’t want me here?”

“I mean, not that you’re bad or a-anything, I think m-maybe this will be better if you weren’t here.” He begins to taper off at the end, unsure of his actions and if he’s overstepping or not. Harry doesn’t respond. Niall falls in on himself. “S-sorry for…” He starts backing up towards the bedroom door.

“Niall.” The blonde halts. “Stay. I’ll go.” He moves past Niall.

“Thanks, Harry.” Without another word, Harry leaves and Niall closes the distance between the Alpha and him.

Carefully, Niall crawls into the bed with Louis, situating himself as close as possible to the Alpha’s back. He gently drapes his arm over Louis’ side and closes his eyes. The two take synchronizing breaths and share the same air. Louis doesn’t move and Niall doesn’t talk.

As time ticks on, Harry paces nearby, wanting desperately to barge back into the room and demand to know what is going on. He knows logically that the plan is not a good one and that he should wait until whatever needs to happen happens, but it’s difficult waiting.

He doesn’t know what made Louis refuse to eat and talk. Whatever has Louis in this mindset, needs to be fixed. Harry wishes that he knew the answers and was able to fix the problem himself, but like Niall stated, Louis doesn’t seem to be responding well to Harry at the moment.

He hopes that Niall is able to fix this. If not, they’re going to have another dead Alpha and the Pack can’t deal with a death like that so soon.

Stuck in his thoughts, Harry does not notice Liam approaching him.

“Hey, Harry. What’s going on?”

“Niall kicked me out of Louis’ room.”

“Niall? Like quiet and afraid to talk Niall?”

“The one and only.”

“Harsh. Who knew he had it in him? Kind of proud of him actually.”

“Liam.”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

A moment passes where the two stand in silence.

“I’ve had some members look into why the old Alpha attacked that night.”

Harry turns towards Liam. “And?”

“Nothing weird showed up in reviewing test results. There was no reason for him to attack, he just did. A freak accident, if you will.”

“Are you sure that was all? Nothing showed on the blood tests?”

“No. We did them multiple times and even sent some samples out to one of trusted allies in the medical field. Nothing weird was found.”

“So why do you think he attacked then?"

Liam shrugs. "He was on patrol that night. My best guess is that Louis got further into the territory than we originally thought.”

"You think our old Alpha thought Louis was working with the hunters?"

"Possibly. The only reasonable explanation. How many regular humans are able to get deep into our territory? We thought he was working with the hunters at first too, not many people can fight and kill an Alpha werewolf. Louis managed to do it. It really makes sense that the old Alpha thought Louis could have been working with the hunters."

“This whole situation is shit.”

“I don’t think the whole thing is bad.” Harry turns to look at Liam. “Hear me out. Sure, our old Alpha went crazy and attacked an innocent human in the process, but like he didn't know that Louis was just a human. He was also about to be helped over to the other side soon anyways.”

“But that was to be by my hands.”

“Or so we thought.” Liam interjects. “The Elder has told us on multiple occasions that this human will bring great things to the Pack if we give him the chance.”

“He’s still extremely weak, he’s not able to do much. We’re practically running the Pack without an official Alpha.”

“Go back to the first part. He’s weak because he endured something very traumatic and had to be brought back once. Of course things are a little weird right now. He’s still trying to recover. Cut him some slack, yeah? All I’m saying is that he hasn’t really been able to showcase what he can do with the Pack. We’ll have to wait until he fully heals.”

“Something could happen during that time though. We need an Alpha to help the Pack deal with situations like those that may arise.”

Liam turns and clasps his hands on both of Harry’s shoulders. “Things may be crazy at the moment, but our Pack has a history of coming together when they need to. Don’t discredit the ability of the Pack in time of turmoil and don’t discredit Louis. There’s a lot that needs to be done and we can’t sit here and grumble about things that may never happen. We’ll take one task at a time like we always do.”

Harry relaxes his shoulders. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Liam smiles. “Doesn’t mean that I have to like it.”

“No, but you have to at least think positive.”

“I have always been surprised that you weren’t the next in line to be Alpha.”

“Nawh. I don’t see myself ever taking that title, even if I had the choice. I’m not enough _grrr._ ” Liam makes clawing motions with his hands. Harry pushes Liam away.

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” Harry’s chuckling.

“Keep thinking good thoughts, ok?” Liam starts retreating down the hall. “See ya later, Harry.”

Liam does have good points. He needs to tackle one problem at a time and not worry about the what ifs. Things will happen that he has no control over and he has to be prepared to act on a moment’s notice. He’ll figure it out eventually.

Now alone, Harry rests against the nearest wall and slides down to the floor. He sits and waits.

Hours later, Niall emerges from the bedroom. Harry hastily stands.

“Well?”

“For full details, you’ll have to talk to him, but know that he’s not happy with you. Also, Louis wants fresh air. He’s been cooped up in this room for too long without seeing the outside world. Take him outside.”

“He can’t go outside.”

“I’m not saying to take him out there and leave him alone. He needs to get out of the room and breathe in some fresh air. Being stuck up in this room without much contact to the outside world will do things to a person’s mind.” Niall sounds like he’s talking from personal experience. Harry doesn’t like the thought of poor Niall being locked away in his old Pack’s attempt at keeping him away. He shivers.

Harry’s glad that they got to Niall when they did. He knows that he wouldn’t have lasted long in the conditions that they found him in. Parts of what happened to him would be pieced together by marks on his body and from brief discussions with the blonde. Harry’s super grateful that Niall never has to worry about any of that again.

“If we move him, we could cause more harm than good.”

“Please.” Harry hates when Niall pleads like this. “Take him outside. It’ll do wonders for him.”

“I’ll think about it Niall.” Harry can sense that Niall wants to say something more, maybe fight and tell him that he will take Louis outside. Niall doesn’t say another word though. The blonde walks past Harry instead.

Harry takes a deep breath. He knows that he has to go into the room and needs to talk to Louis. He’s still not sure why the new Alpha would be upset with him, they were on talking terms before something set the Alpha off.

Harry gets to the door and opens it, taking a few steps inside before closing. His eyes scan the room, noticing that the food he had brought was barely touched, but it did have half eaten items. Small victories.

He gets closer to the bed where Louis has the covers drawn up around his head with only his eyes peeking out through the material. Harry crouches down.

“Louis?” The Alpha’s eyes shift to look directly at Harry. “Niall said for me to come talk to you.” Louis barely nods his head. He really doesn’t want to talk to Harry, especially after the comment he has made, but he promised Niall and he can’t break that promise.

Behind the cover of the duvet, Louis’ voice comes out a little muffled. Harry understands it anyways. “I’m making it easier.”

“Making what easier?”

“The transition.”

“Transition? Louis, you’re not making any sense.”

“You said that you wish that things would have gone the other way.”

“The other…?” Oh, he fucked up. Louis was not supposed to hear that. Shit. Harry brings his head forward to rest his forehead on the edge of the bed. “Fuck. You weren’t supposed to hear that. I was upset.”

“But it has some truth behind it. You wouldn’t have said it otherwise.”

“Things would be easier if I gained the title. That doesn’t mean that I wish you dead.”

“A part of you does.”

“Maybe slightly at the beginning. Not now.” Harry releases a breath. “I’m sorry for this whole thing. I know you didn’t ask for this and I haven’t been the easiest to deal with during the whole ordeal.”

“Can say that again.” Louis ponders a thought for a moment. “What changed?”

“Liam and Niall. They both have come to like you a great deal.”

“And you?”

Harry has a smirk on his face. He shrugs. “Still don’t see what’s so special about you.” If Louis could hit Harry, he would. He instead goes for flipping Harry off.

Harry genuinely smiles. “I should also apologize about not letting you see your family. I should have handled that better.”

“Yes, you should have.” Louis states matter-of-factually.

“You have to understand that if it was possible, I’d allow for it to happen, but right now it isn’t a good time.”

“Niall explained it to me better. I’m still hurt that I can’t see them in person, but I do understand. Niall let me use his phone to call them.”

“You talked to them?”

“Yeah. I couldn’t let them think I was dead for all this time or that I skipped town for unknown reasons.”

“Did you tell them about…?”

“No. Of course not. What kind of person do you think I am? I’m not that stupid. Me mum would have had a heart attack over the phone. No thanks.”

“So everything is good now?”

“With my family, yeah.”

“Just with your family?”

“I think Niall requested something on my behalf.”

“I have to think about it. How do you think we’re going to get you outside without hurting you?”

“Drug me up.” Harry’s not sure if Louis is joking or not. From what Harry has gathered of Louis’ character, he’s probably not joking.

“How will you enjoy being outside then? You won’t remember any of it. I could just say that we took you outside if we give you painkillers.”

“Even if that’s the case, I will still feel better than I do now.”

“And what if I can’t get you outside?” Louis’ face falls. He knew that it was a possibility that Harry will refuse his request, but actually hearing that he may not be able to go outside, he’s hurt. “I’m not trying to be difficult. I don’t want to put back your healing. The Pack needs an Alpha because everything is kind of weird at the moment. The sooner you heal the sooner things will get back to normal.”

Louis completely covers his head with the blanket. “Can you go now?”

“Lou…”

“ _Please_.” Without much hesitation, Harry leaves Louis to his own devices.


	4. Chapter 4

Night has fallen over the land. Sounds of sleep drift through the house, except for Louis’ room. Behind his closed door, Louis is devising a plan to get out of this room and to the outside world. He knows that it’s going to be extremely difficult. He needs to find a way that will cause him the least amount of pain.

He decides to go for it. He knows that no matter how he gets outside, he’ll still be in a great amount of pain.

Louis begins be sliding his body carefully off of the edge of the bed. He bites his inner cheeks and holds his breath to keep from screaming out. He makes it to the floor and situates himself so that he’s kneeling. Louis figures he can shuffle a little this way. He starts towards the bedroom door. He manages to open the door without much problem and scoots his way into the hall.

His breathing is coming out in short pants, but not loud enough to cause alarm in anyone sleeping nearby. He almost trips over himself when he starts down the stairs, catching himself just in time.

Louis can see his destination. The front door so close he can feel the smoothness of the handle under his fingers.

“Louis?” Shit. Liam. He stalks closer. “What are you doing down here? How’d you even get here? Aren’t you in pain?”

Louis sags in defeat against the nearest wall. “Take me back to my room.” He was so close. He doesn’t have the strength to fight back.

Liam steps closer and prepares himself to lift the Alpha up. “Where were you going?”

Louis has become dead weight. His adventure and being caught quickly rid his body of any muscle support that has gotten him this far.

“I wanted to go outside.”

Liam pivots and heads towards the front door. “Well why didn’t you say so? I’ll take you outside.”

“Really?” For the first time in weeks, Louis is genuinely excited. “This isn’t a trap?”

“What?” Liam acts as if he has been slapped. “Why would this be a trap? You want to go outside; I’m taking you outside.”

“What about Harry?”

“What do you mean what about Harry?”

“He doesn’t want me to go outside. He said that it was too dangerous with all of my injuries.”

“I don’t see how going outside could harm you. If anything, you’ll probably feel better since you’re being exposed to fresh air.” The two make it through the front door.

Louis’ senses are assaulted with new smells drifting on the fresh air. He closes his eyes to let his other senses take over.

They stand for an unidentifiable amount of time. Liam doesn’t walk back into the house with Louis until the Alpha has fallen asleep and shivering from the night’s cold air.

He meets Harry in the hallway.

“What’s going on?”

“Alpha wanted to go outside.”

“Liam!” Louis shifts in Liam’s arms. Liam hushes Harry.

“What? He wanted to go out and I was there to help him. He would have gone outside even if I didn’t help him. Be glad that someone was there to do so.”

“He was going out by himself?”

“Found him on the first floor. He was close to the door.” Liam thinks back to what Louis had told him earlier. “Why did you tell him going outside was dangerous to his health?”

“We couldn’t move him without hurting him. I didn’t want to cause more damage.”

“Letting him figure his own way out is better?”

“I didn’t think he’d try to go out by himself.”

“He did. You’re lucky he didn’t hurt himself. Next time, when he wants to go outside, let him go outside.” Liam walks past Harry without another word. He enters the Alpha’s room and tucks Louis comfortably into his bed.

As Liam is retreating out of the room, he swears he hears a whispered thank you coming from the bed.

  * -



“I want to go on walks.” Louis demands when Harry enters the room one morning. “I want to start gaining control over my body again and I think walking is a great way to do so.”

“You’ve already made up your mind and you have proven to me that it does not matter what I tell you, you’re still going to do what you want.”

“You’re finally catching on.”

“You have to follow my rules though.” Harry sits on the side of the bed. “I will accompany you on all of your walks. If I am unable to walk with you, you still can get up and move, but you have to be inside this house. If you go outside, you stay close enough that you’re able to touch the outside wall and Liam or another chosen member will be with you during that time.”

“Talk about a tight leash.” Harry raises a brow, almost challenging the new Alpha to fight him on this matter. Louis notices and backs down. “Fine.”

Louis throws the covers off of his body. “What are you doing?”

“I want to go for a walk.”

“You’re not even close to being healed enough for that.”

“Then carry me. I refuse to spend all day in this bed. I’ve done enough of that.”

“I’m not carrying you. You’re staying in bed.”

“You gave me permission to go on walks. I’m taking advantage. If you won’t carry me, I’ll get Liam or Niall to do it. They’ll be glad to help.”

Harry knows this spat with Louis is a losing battle. Louis will still find a way to get out of the confines of this room.

Harry grumbles. “Fine.” He stands. Louis is hoisted up into his arms in a bridal carry.

“You’re going to carry me like this?”

“I don’t think you really have the strength for me to carry you any other way.”

Louis knows he has a point. “Whatever. Get me out of this room.”

“Demanding. I swear. Not even the occasional please.”

“Please.” The way it is said is rushed.

“I can feel the sincerity in your words. I am deeply touched.”

“You haven’t been all that nice either.” Louis counters.

“I at least said sorry!”

“Giving me a shit ton of rules in return afterwards. You need to let loose some. Super tight you are.”

“I am loose, thank you very much.” Harry only realizes how that sounds after it is out in the air. Louis starts chuckling. “Shut up. You know what I mean.” Louis’ cackles can be heard throughout the house as they exit to explore the outside.

  * -



“Tell me something that no one in the Pack may not know.” Louis begins one afternoon on one of their daily walks.

“Pretty hard to tell you something that they might not know. Grew up around them, pretty sure they know everything about me.” Louis and Harry have come to rest at the bottom of a large tree, deciding to enjoy the beautiful scenery before them instead of walking past.

“There’s always something that others will not know about you.”

Harry tries hard to think of something to tell Louis. His mind betrays him, making him come up with a blank.

“Fine, what about some random fact?” Louis fishes. He needs to know what makes Harry tick.

“I guess that a lot of the Pack believe that I only eat extremely healthy food. I actually have a hidden closet full of different sweets that I eat in secret. I don’t like nor do I want to share them.”

“And you said that the Pack knew everything about you. You were trying to hold out on me!”

“I take my sweets extremely serious. You’re the new guy, the others will most likely not believe you.”

“Oi.” Louis pushes Harry’s shoulder. “Fuck off, mate! I can make the Pack believe me, I’m the Alpha.”

Harry’s not too worried. “Maybe. They’ve known me longer.”

“I’m more fun. They’ll trust me.” Louis cracks a toothy smile.

“If that’s what gets you to sleep at night.” Harry’s playing with a clump of dirt in front of him. “What about you? I obviously don’t know much about you.”

“Keep me around long enough and you’ll get to know me.”

“Hey, that’s not fair! You have to share something about yourself. I did.”

“As Alpha, it’s my duty to get to know the individuals in the Pack. If I feel like it’s a threat for someone to get close to me, I don’t have to disclose any information about myself.” Louis holds his head up and chin out. He starts to laugh.

“Childish. I swear.”

Louis shifts closer to Harry to lean his head against the Beta’s shoulder. “Up until recently, I have been the only son. Mum just gave birth to my only brother not too long ago.”

“How many siblings do you have?”

“Six. There are seven of us total.” Louis misses them. He became choked up when he had to say good-bye to them over the phone. Jay had been insistent of coming to get him and bring him home, but Louis kept informing her that he is in fact fine, only had a small mishap.

That small mishap almost costing him his life.

He made sure to leave that detail out.

“That’s a lot of kids.” Harry comments. “Could never imagine having that many and staying sane.” In a way, Harry wishes that he was able to have a sibling. He’s not sure if his parents ever thought about having more. From his brief memories of his mother and father, he likes to believe that they would have had a whole litter if they were given the chance.

They were wonderful people, loved by all those that they encountered. He wishes that he was able to spend more time with them to create more memories. The ones that he has now are kind of faded and are ones that other members of the Pack have told him.

“Definitely loud at times, that’s for sure.” Louis smiles at the memories of being younger and looking after his siblings. “Lottie and I were inseparable. Always getting in trouble for our antics. Mum never stayed mad long, I mean, how could she? I’m adorable.”

“You know mothers are obligated to say that about their child, right?”

“Oi!” Louis hits Harry in the arm. “Fuck off.” Harry rubs the spot where Louis had hit him. “I’m better looking than you. My battle wounds make me look more badass.” Louis ends with a yawn. Harry starts to get up.

“Whatever makes you feel better.” He bends down to pick Louis up to carry him back to the house. “Let’s get you back to the house so you can get some rest.”

Louis weakly protests. “It’s still early. Your Alpha is demanding you to let him stay a little while longer.”

“I can literally feel the exhaustion radiating off of you.” Louis’ eyes are pleading. Harry knows exactly what is going to happen. He’ll agree to let them stay out a while longer and within a minute, Louis will be fast asleep and snoring against Harry’s shoulder.

“This is the first time that I have been outside in what feels like forever. Louis tries to hide the oncoming yawn. He fails miserably. Harry crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m not tired and I’m not going back to the house yet. Get your ass back down here and get comfortable. We’re going to be here for a while.”

Harry sighs in defeat and gets back on the ground next to Louis and gets comfortable.

Louis is asleep within a minute. His breathing has evened out, tiny snores escaping every so often. His heartbeat has slowed to a rhythmic beat.

Harry sits and watches nature around him, always finding peace within himself when he gets to enjoy his surroundings in the quiet. He sends out a wave through the Pack bond, searching for each connection he has with each member. A gentle thrum under his skin soothes him as each connection is made between him and all of the Pack.

The strongest one being with the man sleeping beside him. Harry’s not sure of the cause, whether it be from Louis being Alpha or an entirely different reason. He’s not bothered, welcomes it in fact.

He’s never felt this strong of a connection before, making him feel like all of his broken pieces now fit perfectly together, Louis filling and gluing his pieces together.

Harry watches Louis sleep a little while longer before he makes the final decision to get up and carry the Alpha back to the house. Harry hoists Louis up and into his arms. Louis unconsciously burrowing closer to Harry’s body.

Harry comes across some Pack members on his trek back to the house. He sends greetings their way without stopping.

“Harry.” Liam greets when Harry steps onto the porch of the main house of the territory. “Is Louis ok?”

Harry continues walking. Liam gets up from his spot on the porch to follow. “He’s fine. He fell asleep while we were taking a break from our walk.”

“You two have been spending a lot of time together on these walks.”

“What did you expect, Liam?” Harry bites back.

“Nothing. Just stating what I have noticed. You weren’t very keen on the idea at the beginning, but now you spend hours out there with him.”

“I was scolded for not allowing him outside and now you’re telling me that we’re spending too much time out there?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you two are spending time together. You two need to bond, especially after the rocky start to this whole thing.”

Liam and Harry get to the bedroom. Harry going over to the bed to lay Louis down. “I’m still not following.”

“Nothing to follow. I’m happy that you two are finally forming some sort of friendship and the others see it too. We’re all very happy, that’s all.” Liam leaves right after he finishes his sentence, not wanting to say anything else about what he has discovered about the two.

Harry thinks about Liam’s words, guessing that he and Louis have been spending a lot of time on their walks. He has come to look forward to the time that he and Louis do spend together outside of these walls.

How quickly things have changed.


	5. Chapter 5

“Do you think I’ll be a good Alpha?” Louis digs a hole in the hard dirt with his pointer finger. He’s refusing to look Harry in the eyes, afraid of what truths he would find in them.

“What makes you think that you won’t be a good Alpha? You haven’t even technically started yet. You can’t give yourself a bad review before you actually do anything.”

“But what if I’m just an extremely horrible Alpha? We’re going to have to have another meeting and I don’t think I’ll come out alive again.”

“Louis.” Harry waits a few seconds, wanting Louis to look up at him. Harry raises Louis’ head with a gentle hand. “Do you remember what I said in that very first meeting when the Pack was deciding what to do with you?”

“Not really.”

“Figures. You never listen.”

“Excuse you. I think in my condition at that time, I did well.”

“And that was part of my speech to the Pack.” Harry pulls his hair up into a messy bun and leans further into the wood of the tree that Louis and him have come to call theirs. “I told the Pack that, despite your injuries, you made yourself walk to that meeting. You refused the help of Liam and I.”

“I didn’t want to appear weak. If that was where my life was ended, I wanted to go into it standing on my own.”

“And that is exactly why you are going to be a great Alpha. Even when you are weakened, you still try to come off as this strong force.”

“So you think I’m able to do it? I won’t lead the Pack to their deaths?”

“No.” Harry makes sure that they’re making eye contact. “You won’t. You were insistent of doing right by the Pack before you even knew what exactly was going on. You were going to sacrifice yourself. That is the making of a great leader.”

“Are you still upset that you didn’t get the title?” These questions have been nagging Louis for the past few weeks. He needs to know how Harry truly feels about him becoming Alpha and leading the Pack that Harry was trained all his life to do.

Harry expels a deep breath. How does he answer this question without hurting Louis’ feelings? Of course he was and still is kind of upset about the ordeal. He should have been the one with the Alpha title, not Louis. He doesn’t feel as bitter as he did at the beginning, but a part of the bitterness remains.

Louis can’t expect him to be fully ok with the situation, he has to understand that all of his life he was told and trained for the position as Alpha and for some human who, by a stroke of luck, ended up with the title, of course Harry’s not going to be fully on board with the idea.

He does believe that Louis will be a great Alpha, hardly any doubt actually, but it is still hard for him to accept. Harry hopes Louis will understand.

“I still have moments where I have a hard time accepting the fact.” He can feel hurt radiating off of Louis. “You have to understand that the title that you unknowingly and accidently took from me is something that I was practically born and raised to do.”

“Har…”

Harry raises a hand to stop Louis’ words. “Let me finish.”

Louis quiets.

“Yes, I do have a hard time being alright with you being Alpha at times, but that does not mean that I think you should be killed for me to gain that title. Like I said, you have shown nothing but strength and courage since this whole thing started. You have to understand that I still need time to be completely ok with this.”

Louis moves closer to Harry, his movements greater now that most of his major injuries have healed, and wraps his arms around the Beta’s torso. Louis hides his face in Harry’s chest. “I’m sorry.”

  * -



Harry opens the bedroom door to Louis standing on his own with a help of a cane. “Louis.”

Louis looks up, beaming with happiness at the new development. “The Healer came by earlier. She gave me the ok to walk. All I have to do is use a cane. She thinks I’ll be walking on my own within the next couple of weeks.”

“Are you sure you should be walking?”

Louis’ face falls. “Did you not hear what I just said? The Healer gave me the ok to walk.” Louis takes a staggered step forward. “I thought you would be happy?”

Harry closes his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again. “Sorry, I… that came out wrong.” Louis’ face is void of emotion, not sure how to react to Harry’s reaction to the Alpha finally standing on his own. “I am glad. Surprised.”

Louis’ face brightens up a tad. “I was too! I could feel that my body was better, but I didn’t think that I would be able to get up on my own this soon! I feel great! This is amazing!” He takes a few more steps. He’s aware of his body and how it reacts to each movement he makes. He stumbles here and there, but he’s able to close the distance between him and Harry.

“I’m ready for my walk now.”

This walk is far different from any of the other walks they have taken. Upon exiting the house, Louis was immediately bombarded with Pack members coming up to talk to him.

“You’re finally walking on your own.” One of the older Pack members commented. “It’s great to see that you’re getting stronger.”

“About time. I’ve been going crazy not being able to walk around.”

“I bet.” The older woman is being tugged by little hands. She looks down at her young granddaughter. “Ok. Let me say good bye to Alpha and we can go get your sweets.” She looks back up at Louis. “I’m glad to see that you are doing well. Take care, Alpha.” The woman turns and picks up her giggling granddaughter, the two swept up into their own private conversation.

Louis watches as the pair disappear around the corner of one of the houses. He feels Harry’s gentle hand at the small of his back. “Louis, ready?”

“Yeah. I’m ready.” They continue down the path a little before another group of Pack members stop the couple.

“Alpha!” The group consists of teens. “You’re healing fast.”

“Um… yeah. Slower than I like, but still healing.” Louis gives a smile.

“Whenever you’re ready, you’ll be on my team for the football game.” The other members who made up the group started arguing, staking claim on the Alpha when he became well enough to play with them.

Harry steps in to move the conversation along. “Alpha will choose when he is ready to play.” The group can hear that there is no room for argument and nod in agreement. “Nice talking to each of you, but Alpha has to do some more walking to help strengthen back up. He’ll talk to you lot later.” Without another word, Harry guides Louis forward.

“Everything is so weird.” Louis comments. At the beginning of this ordeal, he was hated and almost killed because of the situation he accidently found himself in. Now, though, everyone is coming up to talk to him, wishing him well on the rest of his recovery. He asks Harry about it.

“I could boost your ego and say that they think you have a nice personality and see your potential. But no one really knows you. They’re nice because one, you’re the Alpha, and two, Niall trusts you.”

“So their willingness to come talk to me isn’t because of my dazzling personality?” Louis gasps and puts his hand on his chest. “I’m insulted.” He giggles.

Harry rolls his eyes.

“But…” Louis’ tone changes. “They’ll like me eventually, though, right?”

Harry turns towards the Alpha. “Give them time. Things are still weird for them. We don’t trust easily and with how you came to be Alpha, everyone is still on edge. They’ll come around eventually.”

Louis nods and the two continue with their walk.

  * -



Louis is tired of being in the dark about Pack matters. He needs to know what is going on within the Pack and the territory. How can he run a Pack without the knowing what is going on? He may not have chosen this life, but he needs to start taking responsibility for the life that was chosen for him.

He seeks out Harry to start getting information. Louis finds the Second-in-Command in the office of the library that holds book to the Pack’s history.

Harry has a map displayed in front of him on a desk and his head is bowed at he looks at the mapped territory.

Louis steps up behind him.

“What’s going on?”

Harry doesn’t answer Louis right away. He sighs instead and waits for a few seconds to pass before turning towards the Alpha. “Nothing.”

“Sure doesn’t look like nothing.” Louis steps closer to the desk to get a better look. Harry tries to obstruct his view. “Haz.” Louis uses a nickname that he has started using to refer to Harry. The Beta was confused at first, but just like everything that deals with Louis, he lets it go without much fuss, allowing to be called ‘Haz’ by the Alpha.

“You should be resting.”

“You should inform your Alpha what is going on.” Louis counters. He knows that there have been multiple times where Harry has kept things from him. Louis still doesn’t know what all has been going on since he has arrived here in the Pack. Harry keeps quiet about issues that go on outside of Louis’ bedroom door.

Louis’ tired of being left in the dark.

Harry remains still. Louis can see the internal battle the Beta is having with his wolf and human side.

Harry’s human side wins the argument. His shoulders become more relaxed. “Sorry.” Louis places a hand on Harry’s shoulder in a silent acceptance of his apology. “There really isn’t much of anything going on. There are no threats that we are aware of. Looking at the map after a run of the territory helps me make sure that an inch has not been missed.”

“You’ve been doing the same runs for years. Why would you suddenly miss something?”

Harry shrugs. “Habit. This is what our old Alpha would do. He would always check the map after every run. He would even take notes about the different places on the map. He wanted to make sure that everything was documented, even if the surroundings were exactly the same. He didn’t want intruders getting the upper hand months in advanced.”

“Wouldn’t you know if someone was trying to attack or come into the territory?”

“Things have happened in the past. There are also new technologies out there in the market that could be deadly to us if hunters or some other nasty being gets a hold of them. We take precaution.”

“So, that night that I…” Louis can’t finish the question. He can’t even imagine what the Pack was going through when they found their Alpha killed by a human. All of these safety nets put into place to protect the Pack and here comes a human who waltzes into the territory and ends up killing the Alpha.

“Harder than you could imagine. We try so hard to keep every single one of us safe. To find out the Alpha was killed…” Harry breaks off.

Louis is starting to have a better understanding as to why everyone had and is having a hard time accepting him fully. He understood that he killed their Alpha, but hunters? He didn’t know they existed until now. He wouldn’t trust himself either if this puny human came out of nowhere, practically a nonthreatening being, and kills the one that protects the whole Pack. He can’t even imagine what type of thoughts were going through their minds. Louis would have wanted himself to be killed too.

“When you were unconscious, a smaller meeting was held. We thought you were a hunter. We thought there was going to be a bigger fight that had to be fought. Thought that you were a set up. How many people actually survive being chased and attacked by a werewolf, let alone an Alpha? That’s why the Pack has the hardest time adjusting to you. They still don’t fully believe that you’re not working with the hunters. You got extremely far behind territory lines.”

“What about others who have walked through the woods? Have they never gotten close or gone past the territory line?”

“Our theory can’t explain everything. There have been others who have made it way past the line. We have been able to direct them back out of our territory without much difficulty.”

“I don’t get what made me different. Why couldn’t he have done the same thing?”

Harry shrugs. “Maybe it was just destiny? The Elder didn’t seem that surprised by your arrival or the other events taking place.”

“I’m really sorry.” Louis apologizes again. “If I could go back and change everything, I would. I’m sorry for all of this confusion and heartbreak.”

Harry wraps a comforting arm around Louis’ shoulders. “Things happen. We must move forward to better our future. Don’t dwell on the past.”

“So that means that you’re going to teach me whatever it is I know. I can’t let a single person down.” _Especially you_ goes unspoken.

Harry smiles at Louis’ determination. “Ok.”

  * -



“You will have to start training soon.” Harry comments one day while Louis is on his walk.

“How soon is soon?”

“Think you’re up to start tomorrow?”

Louis has been gaining strength. He’s not sure, however, if physically fighting is a great idea this early.

“Don’t worry. We’re going to start easy. You won’t be fighting this soon. There are other techniques you need to learn first.”

“Ok. I’m in.”

  * -



“You need to work on your senses. We’ll get to the physical part of fighting later, but for you to be successful in fighting, you need to know how to read your surroundings.” Harry has brought Louis to the back of the house. The Alpha has been nervously shaking in excitement. He knows that this will be a difficult task since he has never been trained in any type of fighting, but he’s finally able to start learning and soon he’ll be able to fight alongside the Pack.

The bond between him and the Pack has grown tremendously. Once he was able to leave the room, he was able to visit with the members and get to know them and they got to know him. He can even feel a shift in how everyone carries themselves and he even feels a little bit lighter and happier.

Now with training, he’ll feel an even stronger bond once he is able to fully participate in any fights with outside forces that may arise.

“Put this on.” Harry hands Louis a blindfold that the Alpha quickly ties around his face to hide his eyes. “Now, I have a select few Pack members who will come up to you from different directions. Your job is to determine the direction by pointing to where you think they are. You must point in the right direction before they touch you. Understood?”

Louis nods.

“Start.” Harry calls out to signal the beginning of training.

Louis immediately strains his ears to try and pick up on the sounds surrounding him. He thinks he can hear someone coming from behind him, so he points. At the exact moment he points, he feels a tap on his right shoulder.

“You moved!”

Niall cackles. “I win.” Louis is caught up in the moment when he hears Niall laughing without restraint. Harry has commented to Louis before that he has never seen Niall so alive before, unafraid to have fun or to speak his mind. Harry believes that the change in Niall is due to Louis.

_“Why do you think I’m responsible for Niall?” Louis questioned one day during one of their walks._

_“Ever since we adopted him into the Pack, he was quiet and afraid to step out of line.”_

_“I still don’t understand.”_

_“I don’t know what happened. What I do know, however, is that ever since you got here, Niall is slowly changing. I’m not complaining, I love that Niall is starting to feel more comfortable to be more like his old self. Whatever you did or are doing, don’t stop.”_

“Louis, stay focused. Niall may have touched you, but you still have others advancing as we speak.”

“Right. Stay focused.” Another tap comes to Louis’ back.

“I told you to stay focused!”

“I’m trying. You’re the one who is talking to me!” Another tap to Louis’ left shoulder.

“Fuck!”

“Alpha.” He can hear Harry’s annoyance. What does he expect though? Harry is talking to him while he’s trying to stay focused on the other sounds around him. There’s only so much that he can do.

Another tap comes to get Louis in his chest.

Frustrated, Louis tears off the blindfold. “This is bullshit! You keep talking to me when I’m trying to place where the noises are coming from. How is that fair?”

“When fighting, you will have all of these noises surrounding you. You need to pick up the ones that may indicate danger.”

“All of the fucking noises are dangerous! How the hell am I supposed to pick them out?” Harry’s smile is wide. “What the fuck are you smiling for? Think this is funny? Watching the poor human fail terribly at training?”

“You pass.”

“Wait, what?”

“You pass.” Harry’s beaming. “When fighting, you never know what sounds mean danger. You need to be aware of all of the sounds that surround you. Otherwise, you might miss something and end up getting seriously hurt or killed.” Harry clasps Louis on the shoulder. “We still need you to be able to pinpoint where noises are coming from, but you have the first step figured out.”

Harry calls the others to gather around. “Good session today. We’ll move on to our next task next time we train. Dismissed.”

Louis turns towards Harry. “That’s it?”

“Yeah.”

“You brought me out here just for that?”

“Yeah.” Harry starts walking away. “It’s really all about your surroundings. We’ll teach you hand-to-hand, but if you know that sounds can mean danger, you can start planning ahead. Fighting is more about being two steps ahead of your opponent, not necessarily the physical aspect.”

  * -



Weeks of training and Louis is a force to be reckoned with. He took Harry’s advice seriously and always makes sure that he is always thinking ahead of his attacker.

He still hasn’t been able to beat Harry, but he figures that has more to do with the intensive training he has endured from an early age. Louis has been successful winning majority of the matches with other Pack members.

He really can’t complain.

  * -



“Louis!” Harry’s voice booms, shaking the structure of the house. His hands clench and unclench at his side, seething with enough anger to make his entire face go crimson red. Louis sticks his head around the corner, the man in the bathroom taking care of his wounds. Harry stomps down the hallway. “You could have been killed!”

Louis’ eyes grow hard. “Don’t. I’m Alpha, I need to…”

“Don’t throw that ‘I’m the Alpha’ crap, Lou! You could have been killed! It’s not like training with the Betas, these rogues won’t stop when you ask them too; they go until their target is dead!”

“I can’t expect the Betas to fully trust me if I don’t fight with them when there is threat to the Pack. We have practiced, I know how to fight. You told me that I was ready!” Louis’ anger fully bubbles to the surface. “Why don’t you trust me? I have proven myself, I am capable!” Louis’ shoulders rise up and down with each harsh intake of breath.

“You can easily be killed! You’re not like us, you’re human!” As the words leave his mouth, Harry instantly regrets it, wishing that the words could be sucked back up and never see day. Louis’ face falls for a split second before his features harden.

Louis tilts his head to the side, exposing his neck. Harry’s eyes widen at the movement. “Do it.” Louis growls. “If you feel as if I’m not able to provide properly, do it, take leadership.” Harry remains unmoving, avoiding looking at the Alpha’s exposed neck, a sign of submission. Louis roughly grabs onto Harry’s face, forcing him to look. “Do. It. Take what is yours; what I took from you.”

Harry whimpers. “Alpha.”

“Louis.” He bites back. “Just Louis. Not Alpha.” The statement stings, hurting Harry deep in his core. He’s the one who caused this, telling Louis that he was not worthy enough of the Alpha title due to him not being a werewolf. Harry’s head is jolted forward, lips pressed against Louis’ neck. He is held tightly in place by Louis’ strength.

Tears cascade down Harry’s cheek, wetting the skin of the Alpha below. Louis harshly pushes Harry away. “I’ll be in my room when you’re ready.” Louis stomps out of the bathroom, wounds still bleeding, and slams his bedroom door. Harry, feeling defeated, backs up against the nearest wall, slides down and curls up in a ball as he lets his emotions run wild.

Harry tugs at his hair in frustration. He feels so stupid. Why did he make Louis feel as if he wasn’t worthy of the Alpha title? He has proven himself strong enough to lead the Pack, he has the trust of all of the Betas. Harry knew that there was no other that he would willingly follow into battle. Louis has cemented his spot as Alpha and here was Harry still bringing up Louis’ humanity.

“Shit.” Harry hits the back of his head against the supporting wall behind him. He presses the heels of his palms to his eyes, trying to alleviate the burning behind his lids. He has to talk to Louis, has to do something to prove the Alpha that he is worthy, that he is doing a fantastic job at taking care of the Pack.

Harry stands with a shaky breath, taking a step outside of the bathroom, going towards Louis’ private room. Bringing up a clenched fist, he knocks on the door. “Alpha?” The door is jolted open, revealing a red-eyed Louis. Harry whimpers in the back of his throat. He wants to reach out; wants to touch and comfort. Harry doesn’t move.

Louis thickly swallows, clearing his throat, not wanting to fully breakdown in front of a Pack member. “I have my things in order.” He holds out a white envelope. “It’s mostly stuff to do with my mum and siblings, the things here will be in your care when….”

“No.” Harry finally talks. “You’re not leaving. I’m not taking that away from you.”

“Liam then, it’ll be Liam’s job to take care of…” Louis is forced into the room, the door slamming shut behind Harry to give them a sense of privacy. Harry is growling, speaking through his clenched teeth.

“Alpha.” He starts. “You’re the Alpha.” Louis goes to open his mouth. Harry doesn’t give him the chance to speak. “You have proven yourself, you’ve done the right thing today. I just…” Harry breaks off, averting his eyes, the energy in the room shifts to one more somber. “I don’t like seeing you hurt. The thought of you mangled from fighting, from protecting us, scares me. Yes, you’re human, but you’re also a fighter and so very brave. I do not mean to doubt your abilities.” He exposes his neck, waiting for Louis to accept his submission as his apology.

The feeling of dull teeth against cold skin never comes. Harry whines, pushing himself closer to Louis, trying to get the Alpha to accept the apology. Acceptance never comes.

Louis retreats from the submissive. “I’m calling a Pack meeting.” Sinking emerald eyes fall onto the wooden planks of the floor. The superior steps around the Head Beta. “Inform the others.” He whispers firmly as he turns back towards his personal desk. Harry remains frozen to his spot, his body unable to move at the turn of events.

“Al…”

“Go.” Louis bites back towards Harry with his shoulder tense.

Guilt. Harry has done this with the slip of his tongue. He has made Louis doubt himself, calling out the rest of the Pack to determine if they wish he remains their Alpha. Nothing good will come of this. Death is the only outcome, he’s just not sure who will be the one to fall. He prays that it isn’t Louis.


	6. Chapter 6

Pack members bustle around the clearing, hushed whispers dance on the wind as they wait for their Alpha to speak.

By custom, Louis is planked by Harry and Liam, the two top Betas of the Pack. Harry stands to his right, shaking in his spot as he waits for Louis to address the others.

“Blood Moon Pack.” Trees force the sound back through the clearing, Louis’ voice echoing through the now dense silence. All members are waiting with bated breath. “My authority has been questioned…” Harry reals back at the verbal hit. “I stand before you to ask if anyone thinks I am unable to properly provide for this pack. If you question my authority, step forward now.”

Harry holds his breath. He knows that there are still some members who doubt Louis’ capability and could possibly take this opportunity to test the human. Majority of the Pack have accepted Louis, teaching the newcomer how to fend for himself and care for the Pack in a proper manner. The Alpha had not taken the job lightly, diving head first into his new role.

The Pack was striving like never before.

However, there were still always doubters.

“I challenge the Alpha.” Heads snap towards the sound, chorus of gasps sing out.

“Nick.”

“Should have let you die that night you killed our true Alpha.” He snarls, walking with authority. “You’re a puny human who likes to pretend he’s tough.” He crouches down, ready to fight as soon as Louis tries to move first. “You will be easily killed.”

Louis motions for Liam and Harry to fall back towards the surrounding crowd. Harry is hesitant.

“Alpha…”

“Go.” Louis commands over his shoulder before turning his attention back towards the hunkered Beta. Louis barely manages a step forward before Nick is attacking, not following the unwritten rules for this type of thing.

Eruption of protest roll in waves throughout the gathered Pack. Words of encouragement for the Alpha are thrown around as Louis and Nick fight.

Harry’s nervous, he can already see Louis tiring with each blow, his footing slipping as Nick advances. He notices how Louis is carrying himself. He never intended to win this fight, Louis is going to let this arrogant Beta who believes he’s entitled to any and everything. Louis is handing over his title. Harry’s guilt cuts deeper. Louis doesn’t realize how the Pack, under his leadership, has become stronger. His insecurities that Harry brought up to the surface overcoming the Alpha’s mind.

“Fight! Alpha, you need to fight!” He tries, he desperately tries to get Louis to hear his calls over the shouting. Liam notices Harry’s attempts at trying to get the Alpha’s attention. He joins in with words of encouragement.

Nick’s teeth sink into Louis’ side, ripping out a mouthful of flesh and blood. Louis cries out in pain, unceremoniously falling to the cold earth with a sickening thud. His breathing is labored, the slender piece of fight present in his eyes leaving. His blue orbs vacant of the once bright and burning fire.

Pack members roar in outrage, fighting the urge to intervene to destroy the threat to their loved Alpha.

“Looks like the almighty human has fallen!” Nick bellows, spitting his Alpha’s blood with each word. He looms over the withering figure surrounded in a pool of crimson.

Liam has to hold Harry back, no one can step in, not until the thing has been settled between the two participants. Harry has made himself a promise that if Nick is victor, he will not be leaving the clearing alive.

Nick’s victory laughter brings darkness to the land, the trees and creatures weep as a pure soul is slowly dying a painful death, gurgling on what used to be his life force. He struggles to push words between his stained lips.

Nick looms over the prone Alpha, sinister eyes staring at faded blues. “The human who runs with wolves always dies.” He cackles, leaning in closer. “You’re dead…” He is not able to finish as a dagger finds its way into his torso with a wet squelching sound. His eyes are wide as the blade is twisted in his flesh, hissing as whatever is on the weapon burns his skin surrounding the wound.

His arms give out, toppling him forward onto the dying Alpha.

Harry doesn’t wait, he pushes Liam to the side, bursting through the others that have started to get closer to the scene. “Move. Out of my way!” He pushes other bodies, not caring if they fell or not in his haste to get to Louis.

He slides across the blood, forcing the lifeless body off of Louis. His hands are frantic as he places hard pressure against the gaping hole in Louis’ side. “Louis! Alpha!”

A weak hand tugs at his shirt.

“Y-you’re going to be ok; we’ll get you…”

“Haz.” He’s so weak, barely holding onto this world. “D-do it.”

“No! You’re going to be fine.” He lifts his head towards the others of the Pack. “Where’s the Healer?” He shouts, she needs to be here, she needs to be saving their Alpha. He completely fucked up and it’s his fault that Louis is in the position that he is.

“Haz.”

“No!” He refuses to believe that this is it. Louis can’t be dying! “Healer!” He doesn’t want the title if it means Louis has to die.

“I’m here! Out of my way!” She kneels next to Harry, assessing the damage done. “This is going to be close, but we can save him. Keep the pressure on his wound, don’t let up even for a second.” Harry nods at the instruction. The Healer gets to work immediately.

“I’m so s-sorry. T-this is…” Harry breaks off on a sob, emotions eating away at his thoughts and words.

Everything turns to a messy blur, Harry unable to comprehend the bustling around him. The last thing he remembers is Louis’ grip loosening before uncontrollable emotion takes over, blacking out his rational thinking.

Harry’s inner wolf awakens, sharp teeth bared in warning at the helping hands touching the limp Alpha in his lap. Claws dig into his shoulders, forcing him from Louis. He struggles against the grip, thrashing violently.

Claws are tearing at his flesh, attacking him from all directions. Harry fights, snapping his teeth at the appendages that come close to his mouth, his clawed hands extended, landing blows to the assaulting bodies.

“Calm him!” The Healer shouts over her shoulder as she continues working on Louis’ battered body.

“Trying!” Liam digs another clawed hit into Harry’s side.

“Make him submit!”

“We…”

“We’ll sort everything out later, after Harry has calmed and able to take back his duty as Second.” Liam’s hesitant, he can’t just take that from Harry! “Liam! It’s the only way right now!”

“I’m so sorry.” Long teeth extend from Liam’s mouth. The group trying to get Harry to calm down have heard the instructions, jumping into action to get Liam to Harry’s neck. An opening presents itself, Liam not waiting a second to bite down on the dirtied skin.

Harry yelps in surprise before letting his limbs fall limply at his side.

Liam has the others back away before he wraps his arms securely around a shuddering Harry. “You’re fine. You’re going to be fine.”

“Liam…” It’s bitter, nothing short of what Liam expected.

“You’ll get your title back when you’ve settled. We had to do it for our safety and Louis’.”

“Lou…” He sniffles. He weakly tries to fight against Liam’s strong hold around his waist. He needs to see him, needs to make sure that Louis is fine.

“Healer is making him comfortable. He’s going to be fine.” Liam cradles Harry’s head under his chin while the curly haired lad sobs into Liam’s chest, the fight leaving his body. “Get some rest. I will carry you back to the house with Louis.” Harry fights the drop of adrenaline that is making his eyes droop. “Rest, Haz. You’ll need your energy to take care of Alpha.”

\---

“Place them here.” Harry and Louis’ bodies are set on the same soft mattress. A soft whimper escapes Louis’ mouth in discomfort from the wounds he retrieved from fighting. Harry subconsciously moves close to the Alpha. Strong arms surround the smaller frame of Louis.

“Why do you think Louis called that meeting?” The blond werewolf comes to stand beside the temporary Second.

Liam shrugs. “They had a fight. That’s all everyone knows.”

“What did they fight about?” Liam opens his mouth to answer. Niall’s words cut him off. “Just because they had a fight doesn’t mean that Alpha had to battle to the death. What do you think the fight was about? It was serious, don’t you think? Alpha wouldn’t…”

“Niall.” Liam doesn’t mean for it to come out as harsh as it does. Niall falls in on himself at the tone. “Sorry.” Liam pinches the bridge of his nose, sighing. “Can you be happy that they’re both alive for the moment? There’s stuff we have to deal with, but for the time being, let’s just relax until they’re both better, yeah?”

“C-can I cuddle with them?”

Liam wraps his arms around Niall, leading him from the room. “I don’t want you to be there when they wake. Let’s get some take-out, how’s that sound?”

Niall pouts briefly, large blue eyes glancing at Liam. “Thai?”

The newly appointed Second chuckles.

\---

Emeralds shine in the darkened room, soft snores filling the thick silence. Harry has Louis sprawled on top of him, arms holding steady as the Alpha slumbers. He had received whimpers of discomfort from Louis when he moved him to his current position. Harry knows that this is probably not the best for the Alpha, but he couldn’t help himself, he needed to be as close as possible.

Guilt continues to gnaw away at Harry’s thoughts. If he hadn’t said those things, Nick would still be alive and Louis would not be in horrible pain. He let his personal feelings get in the way and it resulted in chaos, pain and death.

Maybe Liam should keep the title of Second. He knows how to keep his mind clear in times of trouble, he does a better job at keeping the Pack safe than Harry does. Ever since Louis has arrived, he has mostly been attached to Louis’ hip and neglecting the other duties that come with being the Alpha’s right hand werewolf.

Louis can choose a better Second. The Alpha does not need Harry, the Beta who does not perform to the best of his abilities. He has let down not only Louis, but the rest of the Pack.

He could leave. He’d eventually become rogue and be hunted down. Maybe that’s better than doing more damage to the Pack. He’s a weak link, a liability. He can’t be the one to cause a downfall to the Pack. They’ll be better off without him.

Harry shifts as he tries to get the Alpha off of him. He needs to leave before Louis wakes.

Louis feels the movement in his sleep, hands clasping tightly into the fabric of Harry’s torn shirt.

“I’m so sorry.” Tears collect at the corners of Harry’s sinking eyes. “So sorry.” The Alpha lets a trapped whimper of discomfort escape his lips as Harry extracts himself. The unforgiving door stares at Harry as the Beta patters across the wooden planks of the bedroom. The doorknob grows hot at his touch, scorching Harry’s hand in retaliation of his leaving.

He refuses to look back, knowing that if he were to do so, he would not leave.

The door groans in protest, yelling at Harry. He slips out into the seemingly vacant hallway, carefully shutting the door behind him.

“You’re running away.” Harry startles at the sudden words. He turns his head towards the owner, The Elder. “I’m not considered The Elder for nothing Young one.” She beckons him forward. Harry falls into her arms.

“Imagine what he’ll feel if you aren’t there when he finally opens his eyes.”

“I did that to him. His pain is my fault.”

“Nick would have found a way to fight. You jumpstarted the inevitable.” She grasps Harry’s shoulders to force the young man to look at her in the eyes. “Don’t blame yourself Young one. This was in the plans for your Alpha.”

“But…”

She hushes the Beta. “Hush Young one.” She pulls him in for another hug. “You will go back in there and stay by his side. When he awakens, you two will talk and fight before making up. Understood?” She leaves no room for debate. Harry shakes his head in understanding. “Good.” The Elder kisses the top of his head. “Go.”


	7. Chapter 7

Human hands tighten around the bedsheets, legs kicking as discomfort courses through the Alpha’s prone body.

“Lou.” Harry kneels next to the Alpha, getting comfortable before laying Louis in his lap. He runs his hand through the feathery hair while the other rests across the other’s heaving chest. “Alpha?”

Louis swallows thickly, sweat covering his skin from the immense pain. His eyes are scrunched up as wave after wave course through his healing body. “H-hurts.”

“Lou?” Harry tries to keep his excitement of Louis waking up down.

“Hurts.” Louis repeats. He clenches his teeth together, jaw set tightly together.

“I’m so sorry. God, I’m so sorry.” He hunches over Louis, head resting on the top of Louis’.

“D-did I pass the t-test?”

Harry wetly chuckles. “Always. Always pass the test.” He reaches down to grab a hold of one of Louis’ clenched hands. He holds on as he tries the best he can to comfort the Alpha. “I’m so sorry, Lou. I didn’t…”

“Shh. L-later. I want to kick your arse when w-we fight.”

“Later.” Harry agrees. “You need more rest.”

“Stay?”

“Of course.” Scooting down to make himself comfortable, Harry carefully situates himself cozily as Louis curls into his side, falling asleep quickly. Harry follows the Alpha soon after, drifting into a peaceful slumber, chasing stars behind his lid.

Wanting to check on the Alpha’s progress, Liam peeks his head in the room, trailing off when he spots Louis and Harry curled up together fast asleep. Liam watches from the door for a few seconds before giving in and joining the two on the bed. He moves carefully, draping himself across his superiors’ legs. When comfortable, Liam joins Louis and Harry in dreamland.

Another knock against the bedroom door, a head of blond peeking around the corner. “Cuddle?” Niall whispers. He smiles as he slinks across the wooden floor, getting on the bed and laying on top of the other three snoozing bodies, careful of Louis’ injuries. Niall purrs, drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

Hours and multiple bodies sprawled on top of each other, Louis stirs awake from the heat surrounding him. “What the…”

“Shh, everyone is still sleeping.” Harry states quietly as he informs Louis of their current situation. He continues when the Alpha looks at him with confusion. “We don’t like to miss out on a cuddle.”

Louis lifts his head, view obstructed by the bodies surrounding him. “I need to pee.” His voice is broken from disuse.

Harry starts shifting around.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to take you to the bathroom. Not like you can really walk right now as it is.” He states matter-of-factly.

“Harry…” He knows Harry has a point. He barely can move with the injuries he sustained during the fight. When he does move, it seems like more blood gushes out of the wounds. It’s a true wonder how he hasn’t bled out from that alone.

“I was given orders by the Healer. Either you let me take you or you go right here.”

“You’re going to wake them up.”

Harry chuckles. “They’ll make a path; they’ll stay asleep for a little while longer.” Harry remarks. “Their subconscious is still aware of what is going on. They’ll know that you have certain needs to take care of and make sure that you’re able to do so.”

“Oh.” Is all Louis says as Harry extracts himself from his confines. Harry then carefully moves around to get a grasp on the Alpha’s body to pull him from the group. The bodies surrounding and on top of him shift, creating a pathway for the Alpha to leave. Louis carefully moves to get closer to the Beta before being hoisted up into the embrace of Harry, chin hooked over the other’s shoulder. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” He hears Harry giggle. “Is it even safe for this many of you to be in a room like this?”

“We know how to escape if something were to happen.” Harry shrugs.

Louis scans over the mass of bodies filling the room, there had to be at least fifteen on the bed with Harry and him and another thirty on the floor, all piled atop of each other sleeping. Louis grumbles to himself as Harry maneuvers them around the slumbering bodies. They finally make it to the door without waking a soul.

“Werewolves.” Louis grumbles into Harry’s neck as they continue down the hallway to enter the bathroom.

Harry makes sure that Louis is stable before taking a step outside of the bathroom to give the Alpha some privacy. His thoughts start to bombard him, with this being the first time in a few days that Louis has been fully coherent for more than a minute. They have so much to talk about and he has a dozen things to apologize for.

“I can hear your thoughts in here.” Louis calls from the other side of the wooden door. Harry can hear shuffling. “We’ll talk about it later when I don’t feel like I’m going to pass out from slight movements.” Harry took that as his cue to open the door to help Louis, who was struggling to hold himself upright at the sink, waiting for the Beta to come in to get him.

Louis wraps himself the best he can around Harry so he can be taken back to the bedroom. “I am still hurt at what was said before all this happened, but don’t think that I haven’t forgiven you. I know this whole situation is new and hard to adjust to. I don’t blame you for having your doubts.”

Harry thickly swallows. His voice is broken when he tries to talk. “That’s the thing. I don’t have any doubts about you leading this Pack. You have shown nothing but bravery and always act in favor of the Pack. I-I don’t exactly know what came over me when I heard about you going with the others. I don’t like the thought of you being in danger and me not being there to help.”

Louis knows that this conversation is going to be long, hence the reason why he wanted to wait to have this talk, but he can hear the guilt in Harry’s voice and knows that he must push through his sleepiness and pain and tend to this hurting member of the Pack.

“Does your room still have the really comfy recliner?”

“What does that… yeah, I still have the chair?”

“Take me there.”

“You need your rest.”

“You need me first. Now, do as your Alpha is asking and take me to the chair.”

“No. I’m taking you to bed. You need to lay down.”

Louis rolls his eyes. “That’s why you’re going to put me in the reclining chair. If it all gets too much for me to sit, I’ll just put the back down so I can lay down while we talk.”

“No. You’re not hurting yourself more because of me.” Harry protests.

“Beta.” Louis uses his Alpha tone. Harry whimpers at the voice. “Do not argue with me. This needs to be taken care of before I can continue to recover how the Healer intended. I’m Alpha first and I will do my duties as Alpha first before I tend to mine. Understood?”

“Yes, Alpha.” Louis hates using his Alpha voice on the Pack, especially Harry, but this was necessary. This whole situation obviously is nagging at Harry’s mind and needs to be addressed at once. He can’t let his Beta continue with these dangerous thoughts.

They enter the room and Harry carefully maneuvers Louis into the reclining chair, helping him get comfortable. Harry had made his way to his bed, curling in on himself as he waited for the conversation to begin.

“Why are you so far away?” Harry glances at Louis. “There’s enough room on this big ass chair. Get over here and let’s do this properly, yeah?”

“But I’m the reason for your current condition. I don’t want to…”

“You literally just carried me to and from the bathroom without a problem. Now you’re afraid to come near me.” Nothing about this is making sense. Harry was fine when they went to the bathroom, now he’s afraid of coming closer.

Louis has never witnessed this side of Harry before. He was always so strong and held himself together, no matter the situation they found themselves in. Nothing about this encounter is making sense. What happened in the short amount of time that he was in the bathroom? What has been said when he was unconscious?

Seeing Harry so afraid and withdrawn is not a good look for the other lad. Harry just looks so young.

It hits Louis like a wall of bricks. He never really considered Harry’s age before; how young the man in front of him is. Louis, if he recalls correctly, is only two years older than Harry. It almost makes him sick at the thought of the responsibilities that are weighing on Harry’s shoulders and how young he was when those responsibilities started to pile up.

The man in front of him was destined to become the Alpha of the Pack. Louis still doesn’t know much about preparing a new cub for their future rule in the Pack, but he has an idea that Harry was trained harder for the position he would take up later in his life. Then, the fact that he lost both of his parents at such a young age.

The thought makes Louis shiver at the thought, almost making him sick.

This vulnerable version of Harry is completely uncharted territory, and Louis has a feeling that he’s not the only one who doesn’t know how to approach this situation. He can see the struggle on Harry’s face as he tries to sort through his emotions and figure out how his inner wolf and human side should be acting.

Nothing makes sense.

Harry mumbles something, bringing Louis out of his thoughts.

“What? I didn’t catch what you said.”

“They took away my title as Head Beta.”

“What?” If Louis was able, he’d march to whoever was responsible for taking away Harry’s title and demand they give it back. “I swear I’ll…”

“Alpha, stop.” Louis freezes. “It’s my fault. I-I kind of lost it after the fight.”

“You can get it back?”

“It’s probably in the best interest that I don’t.”

“Why? I don’t understand.”

Harry motions towards Louis. “I’m the one who caused your pain and we have a dead Pack member. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t be hurt and Nick would still be alive. I’m the cause of all of this. I don’t deserve the title back. I couldn’t keep it together when I saw you laying on the ground with you bleeding out. How do you expect me to stay calm if we ever have to fight together?”

“C’mere.” Louis beckons. Harry doesn’t move. “Haz, come here.” Harry moves closer to the chair that Louis was sitting in. He was afraid to get too close, not wanting to accidently hurt the Alpha again. “You can come cuddle, you know. You won’t break me.”

“But I might hurt you. I rather not take that chance again.”

“You will not hurt me. Just get your butt over here.”

Hesitantly, Harry slowly makes his way to where Louis is and carefully positions himself next to the Alpha. Louis wraps his arms around Harry to pull him in close.

“Mistakes happen. I don’t want you to go around blaming yourself for what has happened.”

“But I doubted you.”

“Maybe, but I also don’t expect you to be fully ok with a human…” Harry whines. Louis continues. “becoming Alpha and running this Pack. It’ll take some time to fully get used to it and that was the first time that a major conflict came up where I fought with some of the wolves.”

“Still doesn’t excuse what I said to you.”

“No, it doesn’t. It still hurts, knowing that deep down, you’re still not completely ok with me being the Alpha.  I know you said it a while ago, but I thought you got through it, that you were finally ok with me being Alpha. I’m still trying to understand it.”

Silence blankets the two as millions of thoughts pass through both of their minds.

“I don’t think you being Alpha really has anything to do with it. I think I’ve been ok with you having the title a while ago. I think it’s more about the fact that I wasn’t beside you fighting. I completely lost it at the thought of you out there and possibly getting hurt or killed, it…I wanted to fight everything in my way to get to you, to protect you from harm.”

“You need more faith in the other Betas. They made sure that they kept me as safe as possible while we were out there.”

“But so many things still could have gone so wrong.”

“Yes, but it didn’t happen.”

“But they could have.”

“Harry, I could have been killed that first night I was thrown into this world of yours. The Pack could have ordered me to my death. A thousand of other things could have happened, but they didn’t. Don’t dwell on that. We’re here, right now, isn’t that enough?”

Harry snuggles closer to Louis’ side, still careful of Louis’ bandaged side. “I really am sorry.”

“I know.” Louis runs his fingers through Harry’s hair. “Whenever you’re ready, we’re going to give you back your title.” Harry goes to argue, but Louis shushes him. “Mistakes will be made, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be continuously punished for them.” Louis smiles. “It’s an honor to have you by my side when making important decisions and I can’t see anyone else by my side doing your job. It’s yours and always will be.”

Harry grabs onto Louis’ shirt, his way of saying thanks to the Alpha.

“L-Lou?” Harry’s unsure voice has Louis looking at the werewolf in question. Harry hides his face where Louis’ shoulder and neck meet. He begins to mumble something.

“What? Haz, you’re going to have to say that again. I can’t understand you when you’re hiding your face.” He can feel Harry sigh, the breath warming up his skin.

Harry, however, only strains his neck to expose the skin. Louis finally understands.

Being in the Pack, even for the short amount of time that Louis has, he has picked up on certain aspects that are important to each member. He doesn’t get to witness it a lot, but he has taken note that when another Pack member steps out of line and wishes to make amends for their wrongdoings, they will tilt their heads to the side to show that they are sorry for their actions.

One thing, however, didn’t make sense to Louis. The part with the exposing one’s neck was something that he could understand easily, but he would also see the other wolf, the one who didn’t do anything wrong, expose their neck as well after they accepted the other’s submission. Louis had questioned Harry about the action one day.

_“It’s so that everyone is reminded that we are equals. We may be ranked as an Omega, Beta, or Alpha, but for a Pack to be successful, we have to remember that one wolf is not better than another because of their status. We all make mistakes and we acknowledge that. One member may expose their neck first as a sign of submission, but when the second wolf does it, it expresses that the mistake was forgiven and they are equals. The only one who technically outranks everyone is the Alpha, but it’s more out of respect than anything. We are all equals, but we recognize that we need a leader, that’s why the Alpha is seen as the highest rank. Not every pack is like ours, but we found that this is what works best for us and we keep it that way.”_

Louis stills his fingers in Harry’s hair. “Haz.” He’s getting choked up. He didn’t know that this would be something that would make him lose his composure; he, himself, not sure why this is the thing that makes him teary-eyed.

“P-please.” Harry burrows himself impossibly closer into Louis’ side.

This moment, right here, frozen in time, is the changing point in the relationship between Harry and Louis. Something in this moment feels monumental; that after this, nothing will be the same. What exactly that change will be neither one knows, but they can feel it.

It swirls inside both of them, gaining momentum as it tries to break the surface.

Whatever they’re feeling, finally breaks when Louis’ dull teeth bite into Harry’s flesh. Both of them gasp at the sensation filling them.

“Whoa.”

“You felt that too?” Harry asks.

“Yeah. I did.”

“What do you think it means?”

“You’re the one who has been a werewolf all his life. Don’t ask the human. Shouldn’t you know?”

“Never heard of something like that happening before.”

“What do you think it means? What should we do?”

“I have a feeling that only The Elder will know.”

“Are you going to talk to her?”

Harry shrugs. “Not really worried about it. It didn’t feel like it was something that was bad.”

“Y-yeah, I’m not worried about it either.” Lies. He was extremely worried. What if whatever they felt would eventually kill them?

“Good.” Harry yawns. “Night, Lou.”

“Night, Harry.” Louis remains awake for a few more hours before allowing sleep to overtake him.

  * -



Days pass in a blur. Louis’ hours blending together in what seems like an endless day. He’s still confused about what happened with him and Harry nights ago.

Nothing has seemed to change between the two. Harry still comes into the room to spend hours with Louis talking about nothing and everything. When they’re not talking, they are curled up in bed together enjoying each other’s company.

If one thing had to change, Louis guesses, is the fact that he and Harry do seem like they are closer. They can easily read what the other one is feeling or thinking, finishing the other’s sentence before one word is out of the other’s mouth.

To say that it is confusing is an understatement. Louis doesn’t know what’s going on or how they got here.

He supposes that he doesn’t have to question it, this weird connection that he and Harry have created. Out of the entirety of the situation, Louis has never felt happier. He finally feels like he’s whole and not someone who is walking around with no direction or purpose.

He’s finally happy to a degree he never thought possible and he has Harry to thank for that.

  * -



“What’s going on between you and Harry?” Niall barges into the room one afternoon with his mouth full of unidentifiable foods.

“What do you mean, what’s going on between Harry and I?” Louis places the book he was reading off to the side. He never was that big into reading, but nowadays, he needs something to pass the time before he completely loses it by being cooped back up inside of this room.

“You two have been awfully close lately. Is there something you want to tell me?” Niall comes to rest on the bed, lying down with his side pressed up against Louis’.

“We’re really close friends.”

Niall rolls onto his side to look at Louis. He props his head up on his hand. “And that’s all?”

Louis’ lost. Why would there be anything else going on between him and Harry? They’re the head of the Pack and they have to have a close relationship for things to work. “Why do you think that there is more to our relationship?”

“Maybe it’s the fact that you two are attached at the hips. Always spending time together.”

“We’re not together now.”

“Because I bribed Liam to keep Harry busy while I came in here to talk to you. Find out all of the good details.” Niall shows a toothy grin.

“Who would have ever thought you were once quiet?”

“You’re to blame.”

“Why is that? Harry told me the same thing a while ago. What about me made you not as afraid?”

Niall, knowing the seriousness of the switch in conversation, sits up and crosses his legs. He starts playing with a stray string coming out of the duvet. “Growing up, I was always pushed to the side. They thought I was too wild and would only bring trouble to the pack.” Niall wipes at his eyes.

“I’ve never told anyone this before. They tried to get me to talk about it, tried to get me to open up, but I was in so much shock and so afraid of ruining this new Pack that I promised to myself that I would just obey everything and keep my mouth shut and not get out of line.”

“Niall, you don’t have to tell me. Not if you don’t want to.”

“No. I want to. I need to finally talk about that time in my life.” Louis nods. Niall takes a deep breath. “I was an outcast. I didn’t have anyone to talk to. I would go out into the woods for the entire day, only returning home when it was well past sundown.

I met a person and since I was alone, I trusted them easily. I was young and naïve. Within a week of us meeting, they had their family of hunters attack the pack. The hunters made sure that my pack knew of my…” Niall uses finger quotes. “betrayal. I was then attacked by my own pack mates and left while they went in search of a new territory.”

“I’m so sorry.” Louis reaches out to bring Niall in for a hug. He rests his chin on the top of Niall’s head. “I’m sorry you had to go through that experience.”

Niall shrugs. “I thought I deserved that punishment for so long. Then Harry came along, saving me and allowing me into the Pack without a second thought. I thought that I was going to be this quiet person for the rest of my life, then you came along and I saw how you were fighting back and not afraid to do things to get your way. Harry wasn’t punishing you for it. I figured I could start doing the same. So I did. I still feel weird saying no and arguing with others when I don’t agree with their way of thinking, but I’m getting better. That’s all because of you.”

“Out of everyone, you have decided to take pages from my book? You’re one brave soul, that’s for sure.” He feels Niall smiling. “I’m glad to hear that you feel more comfortable. I’m sorry that you chose me as your role model for that.” They share a laugh.

“If I ever get in trouble, I’ll just blame you.”

“Wouldn’t expect anything less.”

  * -




	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has taken their time to read, comment and leave kudos on this story! I may not reply to each comment, but know that I do read them and they seriously make my day. Thank you!
> 
> Sorry that it has been a while since the last update, but I was deciding if I wanted to add more to the story or change things, but finally came to the conclusion that I am going to leave the story as is. With that being said, I realized that this is the last chapter. I thought that there were a few more, but when the story was split up, it came to 8 chapters.
> 
> Enjoy!

Early morning hours quickly approach. Louis awakens sooner than he normally does, excited for what the day has to bring. The Healer should be arriving soon to look over his wound and tell him if he’s finally able to get up and walk around.

He’s ready to get back to the others of the Pack. He gets a handful of visitors each day, each one bringing him some sort of treat or present in well wishes of a fast recovery. The room is now decorated with a rainbow of colors from an array of gifts.

Freshly picked red roses sit on the windowsill. Balloons of oranges and yellows in the corner. There are colorful pictures from the younger members of the Pack scattered on the walls, reminding him of his own sibling’s artistic abilities. They make the room feel more like home.

“Alpha, you ready?” He hears The Healer on the other side of his door.

“More than you could ever know. C’mon in.” The Healer slides into the room. The door closing with a soft snick behind her.

  * -



Tiptoeing into the room, he makes sure that Harry is still asleep in his bed before getting under the covers alongside the sleeping Beta.

He is immediately pulled into Harry’s side. “Why are you out of bed?”

“Thought you would be more surprised. I’m honestly heartbroken.”

“You forget that I have great hearing.”

“And a big nose to smell me better, too.”

Harry bites Louis’ shoulder. “I’m not some fairytale character.”

Louis rolls his eyes. “Sure do act like it sometimes.”

Harry places his hand over Louis’ mouth. Louis, the adult he is, licks the hand.

“You don’t know where my hand has been.”

“Also don’t know where you have been, but I still talk to your nasty ass.”

“Well, you are up my ass, always wanting to know where I’ve been and wanting to be next to me. You should know where I’ve been.”

“Am not!” Louis protests. He does not always want to know where Harry has been and what he has been up to. He asks to be friendly, to start a conversation. Well, if Harry thinks he’s going to be polite and ask him in the future, he has another thing coming!

“Lou.”

“What?”

“Stop yelling in your head. Too loud.” Stupid fucking connection. He hates that he’s unable to feel without Harry feeling his same emotions. He hates that he can’t think without Harry having some inkling to what he’s thinking. He remembers the day they discovered their new abilities.

The day after Harry and him had their heartfelt conversation, they were separated, Harry needing to leave and do his routes throughout the territory to make sure there wasn’t anything suspicious going on.

Louis had tried to go back to sleep, but he could feel something different. He didn’t know what it was at first. Then, he could hear Harry’s voice as clear as day. Every thought that passed through his mind was also passing through Louis’.

Louis, not understanding what was going on, cause, how was it possible to hear Harry’s thoughts, especially since he wasn’t even close?

So, logically, Louis started singing loudly in his head.

To say that Harry was confused would be an understatement. When he returned from checking out territory lines, Louis and Harry explored their new found abilities like any other normal person would.

Harry and Louis would call Liam into the room and blankly stare at him. They would have silent conversations via their minds in front of Liam.

Liam never knew what was going on, figured he would humor the two despite their weirdness.

Harry and Louis never really questioned their new found ability. They found out that they were able to annoy the other much easier now and took full advantage of the fact.

“Turn it off. I want to yell at you in my head in peace.”

Harry starts mentally screaming.

“Oi! A child you are!” Louis has covered his ears with his hands.

“Says the child who licked my hand.”

“I couldn’t breathe.” Louis counters weakly. He can feel Harry’s eye roll.

“You’re still the child out of the two of us.” Louis goes to protest. “Shh. Time to sleep now.” Harry cover’s Louis’ face with his hand.

Louis rapidly blinks his eyes to tickle the palm of Harry’s hand. It doesn’t work.

“You’re not going to win.” Harry shifts under the covers. Louis is pulled impossibly closer into his side.

“I don’t have to win. You just have to lose.”

“That makes absolutely no sense.” Sleep, at this point, is a lost cause. Harry knows that with Louis in the room, he will never be able to get back to sleep. He sighs in defeat and opens his eyes.

Louis moves so that he is over top Harry and staring directly into Harry’s green eyes. “I win.” He whispers into the light that is slowly creeping into the darkened room.

“Glad to see someone is feeling better. Can’t say that about your breath though.”

Louis makes sure to blow his morning breath into Harry’s face. Harry pushes Louis off of him. Louis lets out a squeak in surprise and in pain. Harry is quick to move to assess the damage he could have caused. He hovers above Louis.

“Oh God, I’m so sorry. Are you ok?”

Louis’ face is scrunched up as he tries to let the pain pass. “Still a little bit sore. I’m fine.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“I’m fine. Relax. Lay back down.” Harry obeys. He lays back down, getting comfortable as he can in the bed next to Louis. He moves so that their sides are touching.

“I’m guessing The Healer gave you the ok?”

“I still have to take it easy, but yeah, I’m free to walk around as I please.”

“So no more getting injured?”

“I did schedule to go skydiving. I’ll get back to you afterwards.” Harry pinches Louis in his side. “Of course I don’t plan on getting injured again.”

“Good. I’m holding you to that promise.”

Louis and Harry don’t talk, enjoying each other’s company.

Louis thinks of the conversation he had with Niall. “Harry, has anyone asked you about us? Like about how close we are?”

Harry hums. “Yeah. Think that we have more going on instead of us being friends.”

“Do you think that’s weird?”

Louis can feel Harry shrug. “Ehh. Not too bothered by it. We know our relationship with each other, why does it matter what others think?”

“Guess you’re right.”

“Damn right I am.” Louis pinches Harry in his side this time.

“Do you think our relationship has anything to do with whatever we felt that night?”

“Who knows. Does it really matter though? I’m content with what we have.”

“Yeah, but aren’t you curious about what happened that night? What if it does have something to do with how close we are now?”

“Why are you so hung up on this? Can’t you be happy that we are as close as we are? Don’t question it. Enjoy it.”

“Yeah, but…” Harry once again places his hand over Louis’ mouth.

“Shush.”

For the first time in Louis’ life, he listens.

  * -



“Elder, funny to run into you here.” Louis comments as The Elder opens her front door. Louis is standing in front of her.

The Elder raises a brow. “You’re in my house.” She deadpans.

Louis laughs in a nervous manner. “Always one for the jokes.”

The Elder isn’t dealing with this charade. “I know why you’re here. Harry stopped by not too long ago to ask me the same question.” Harry was worried! That liar! “Come in, if it is going to be anything like with Harry, you’re going to be here a while. Let me make us some tea.” She beckons Louis to follow her.

Louis has never set foot in The Elder’s house before, only observed the small, brightly painted cottage from the outside. The house, once he enters, is exactly how he imagined it to be. The one-floor home has an assortment of black and white and colored pictures scattered on the walls and shelves. The windows are decorated with fading pattern curtains and freshly cut flowers decorate every end table. The house is a stereotypical grandparent house.

Continuing through the house, the two come to the kitchen. The Elder motions for Louis to have a seat while she pours two cups of tea.

She comes over to the table to have a seat herself. She hands a cup of tea to Louis. “I always make sure to have tea ready. There’s never a day when I don’t have visitors. I always know.”

“You knew that we were coming?”

“I’m The Elder. I can see and feel the future. Of course I knew you and Harry were going to show up here.”

“And I guess you already know why.”

“Even before Harry came.” Louis looks at The Elder expectantly. “You want me to give you all of the answers.” Louis nods. The Elder shifts in her seat to get more comfortable. She has both hands wrapped around the warm cup in front of her. “In all of my time with this Pack, I have only seen this once before.”

“What?” Louis moves so he sits at the edge of his seat.

“You and Harry aren’t in a romantic relationship, is that correct?”

“No, we’re just really good friends.”

“This is where things get complicated. Normally for the type of bond that you and Harry have created would only occur between a mated pair.”

“Like…”

“Yes. You two would have bonded completely, making an unbreakable bond by having sex.” Louis blushes. “No shame here. You have to remember I have been around a long time. I may be old, but I too indulged in the pleasure.” She pats Louis’ reddened cheeks. He does not want to hear this coming from The Elder, she’s practically his grandmother at this point. She chuckles at his discomfort.

 “Moving on.” She smiles. “You and Harry, although not mated, have created this extremely strong emotional bond. You two complement each other. The Fates seem to have put you two together. You both are able to communicate in ways that truly mated pairs can only dream of and when you work together, you’re stronger. The bond that is shared between you and Harry is almost unheard of. There isn’t much information on it, just what I have told you. Our society doesn’t know the full details about how the bond works, just that it makes the two involved stronger. It has also given Harry his title of Second back.”

“Really? That’s great news! I bet he was ecstatic to hear he got it back.” Louis latches onto another piece of information. “Does that mean we should have a romantic relationship?” Louis hasn’t really thought about it before. A relationship with Harry wouldn’t be so bad, they’re practically in one as it is right now.

The Elder hits Louis in the head with a rolled up paper that she had lying nearby. “Just because I’m talking about a mated relationship, does not mean you need to start thinking about Harry in that way. I swear, you two are alike in so many ways. He did the same thing.” She shakes her head. “Don’t change the status of your relationship because of the information that I’m telling you today. If there are feelings there, then obviously do what feels right. But the two of you don’t need that extra step to make things work. You’ve been making it work all along without it.”

“So what do we do from here on out?”

“Nothing. Keep doing what you’ve both have been doing.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“Oh.” Louis’ not sure what to feel. He’s relieved because now he knows what is going on between him and Harry. On the other hand, though, things are now more complicated. The Elder said to not change anything, that they’re functioning well without the mated part.

What if this does change things between him and Harry? What if they start to think of the other more than friends? He has to talk to Harry. Everything is confusing.

“You’re thinking about it too much. My information doesn’t change anything, only if you let it. You and Harry have this unique relationship. Don’t let it be ruined because you think you have to be mated now or you’re questioning everything cause you’re not sure if you have feelings for each other or not. If you didn’t have those feelings before this conversation, you still don’t have those feelings for each other.” Louis doesn’t reply. The Elder sighs. “Go. You need to go talk to Harry. You won’t be happy until you do.”

Louis briefly thanks The Elder before making his way out of the house. He needs to find Harry as soon as possible. They need to talk about this.

_I need to find Harry._

“Hey, Louis.” A Pack member calls out as he goes past. Louis greets over his shoulder without stopping. He runs into a few more members. He apologizes for not being able to stop and talk. He gives some lame excuse. Louis will make it up to them later. They’ll understand.

He spots the person he has been looking for. Harry is just exiting Lux’s parent’s house. “Harry!” He shouts across the pathway. Harry turns around from talking with Lux and her parents.

“I’ll see you all later.” He steps off of the small porch to meet Louis halfway. “Lou?” He can tell by Louis’ face that he has gone to The Elder. “You talked to her.”

“And you as well.”

“Let’s not have this conversation here.” Louis nods in agreement. Harry grabs Louis’ elbow and leading him to a secluded area in the woods. “The Pack knows that this is my spot. They know to stay away.”

“What do we do?” Louis starts right into the conversation.

“What do you want to do? We’ve been like this for a while, why change anything?”

“You don’t want to do anything?”

“Do you want to do something?”

Louis’ not sure. When he first received the information, he thought that he would want to do something. That maybe he did have hidden feelings that he never thought to explore before. Now, he’s not so sure. The shock of the information has subsided some and he’s coming to realize that he was overreacting.

“I reacted the same way when she first told me. I thought maybe I was trying to hide my feelings for you. I got to think it over after I left and I realized that our friendship, with how close it is, is enough for me. Obviously I love you, you’re truly my best friend, but I don’t need the next step to be satisfied. I’m happy just to be around you.”

Louis didn’t know how much he needed to hear that from Harry. He realizes now that he never did have romantic feelings towards Harry, but he loves being in his company. He’s glad that Harry feels the same way.

Louis charges forward to wrap his arms around Harry, becoming engulfed in the other’s warmth and smell.

“Thank you.” The two sway on the spot, basking in each other’s presence. “What do we tell the others?”

“Nothing. We continue on with what we have always done.”

“What if they ask?”

“Nothing has changed between us. We continue to run the Pack as we have since you’ve became Alpha.”

“Ok.” Louis waits another moment before speaking again. “Harry?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you carry me back? I’m tired.”

“So needy.” Harry hoists Louis up and they trek back towards the main house of the territory.

“Hey, did you hear that you got your title back?”

“Yeah. Isn’t it great?”

“Exceptionally great.”

  * -



They’re still bombarded with questions from Liam and Niall. Both Louis and Harry respond with the same answer.

“We’re friends. We’re happy. That’s it.”

Liam and Niall eventually accept their answer after getting annoyed with hearing the same words each time.

The Alpha and Beta know that the other two still watch them from afar, questioning their every move.

They’re not bothered. They’re happy.

  * -



“Hunters are south of the Pack house.” Liam rushes into the Louis’ study. “Fifty of them heavily armed.” Louis abruptly stands from behind the desk.

“Get the Betas, we have to stop them from progressing.” Louis quickly gathers his weapons. “Where’s Harry?” It was rare for the two to be separated, but Harry had been removed from Louis’ side forcibly by Niall for some one-on-one time. Louis just smiled, giving Harry the ok to hang out with the blond. Harry had been hesitant, not wanting to go too far in case of emergency, but Niall had a strong grip. He held on tightly to the Head Beta’s wrist and dragging him off to god-knows-where.

“He’s the one who discovered the Hunters.” Louis’ blood runs cold. “He’s fighting as we speak, Alpha.” Liam lowers his head, feeling the emotions rolling off of Louis.

Louis can hear the beating of his heart in his ears. Harry knew not to make such major decisions without consulting Louis first, they were a team. He had to get out there; had to find Harry.

“Get the others ready, I’m going out.” Louis rushes past the Second-in-Command, weapons grasped tightly. He dashes out of the house. He should be planked with Betas on either side of him, but he can’t wait, Harry is in trouble, he has to get to him to help.

He breaks through the line of trees, entering the heavily wooded forest, weaving his way through low hanging branches. As his feet carry him closer, he can hear the roaring fight. He runs faster, pushing himself harder to reach his Second-in-Command.

Pain shoots through Louis’ shoulder, he stumbles as whatever hit him jolts him forward. He runs into a tree, grasping on to hold himself up as he focuses on the condition of his body. The pain is spreading from his shoulder; he can feel wetness soaking his clothes.

His uninjured arm reaches up to move his clothes aside to assess the damage. Louis turns his head to the side, looking down at the wound. He had been shot, the bullet making a clean path through his shoulder.

“This is the almighty Alpha?” Louis pushes from the tree, uninjured arm reaching for his knife attached to his side. He turns to face the owner of the voice. “You’re the infamous Louis?” The figure steps closer to the human Alpha.

Louis stands strong, unwavering, even with the unbearable pain in his shoulder.

“From what we have gathered, we thought you would be a little harder to take out.” The person scoffs. “A human who thought he could run with the wolves.”

Louis, standing to his full height, takes strong strides forward, bringing his knife to his side. He’s ready to attack if need be. His eyes track the intruder’s calculated movements, circling Louis, distracting him.

“It’s such a shame that you were forced into this situation.” The Hunter inspects his dirtied nails. “Humans don’t have a place with werewolves. It’s unnatural.” Louis is about to retort when he feels his skin slicing apart.

Louis falls to the ground clutching his side. “Cowards.” He grits through his blood-stained teeth.

“Humans who run with wolves don’t deserve a proper death.” The Hunter spits as he comes up to Louis’ crumpled form on the ground and kicks the Alpha in the stomach. A howl rips through the air. The Hunter smiles. “We’re done here.”

“Fuck you!” The Alpha writhers on the unforgiving ground, trying to find strength to pull himself to his feet. He’s desperate to find Harry. Each movement is strain on his injuries, making him shout in pain. He can hear growling in the distance fading; not sure if a good or bad sign.

Deep down he knows that he can’t give up, that he has to fight, but his vision is starting to blur with black dots dancing in his sight. He needs to get up before he loses complete control of his muscles. Louis rolls over onto his stomach, grasping at the ground in front of him and making purchase before sliding his bleeding body in the direction he was heading before he was ruthlessly attacked.

He bites the inside of his cheek to keep himself from screaming out again. He crawls for a few feet before his grip refuses to hold.

Louis needs to find Harry, if he’s going to die, he wants it to be by Harry’s hands to transfer his power to the rightful owner. He would at least die in the arms of the one he has grown to be the closest with.

With his remaining strength, Louis calls for his Harry hoping that his voice will carry to the one he wants. He doesn’t know how long he laid on the ground fighting the darkness that threatens to take him. His eyes are becoming unfocused in these critical moments and he needs to see Harry one more time before he allows Death to claim him. Louis knows that Death stands nearby, can feel Their presence looming closer as time ticks by, waiting to guide Louis into the Unknown with welcoming arms.

Louis thought this would be easier and maybe not quite as physically painful. Then again, at this point in time, as his body goes into shock, it really isn’t all that painful. His body is now starting to go numb.

He wishes that he didn’t have to go this soon. Louis wishes that he saw his later years, but he guesses that he can’t be too bothered by his ending. He has done so much in his short time on earth. How many people can say that they got to be the Alpha of a werewolf pack? He knows that the Pack will grieve and figuring out the new way of life will be hard, but they’re capable. They will continue to strive. The Pack is a strong unit.

Louis wishes that he could apologize to the Pack for leaving.

A single tear caresses his cheek. He closes his eyes and ready to welcome Death.

_I’m so sorry._

“Lou! No, no, stay with me, Lou!” He can feel shaking hands running over his body and stopping at the wounds he sustained during the unfair attack. His imminent demise paused.

“Harry.” Louis feels his body shifting, being lifted up to be settled against Harry’s strong body.

“Stay with me, Louis. We’re going to get you back to the house.”

“Harry.” Louis repeats. He tries to move his arm and tries to grab onto the other’s hand. “H-Harry.”

Harry bends forward to press his wet lips to Louis’ forehead. “No, no you can’t do this. You have to stay with me.”

“Y-you have to…”

“No, you’re going to be fine.” Harry sobs. “You’re going to live.” He begins rocking back and forth.

“Harry…”

“No, I can’t do it. I won’t do it. You’re not leaving _me_.” The last word is filled with so much hurt and pleading.

Louis’ head lolls to the side. Another tear escaping his fading eyes. “You have to watch after the Pack, t-they need a leader.” Harry shakes his head refusing to do as Louis is asking him. He can’t do it. Louis is asking him to do the impossible. “Please.” Louis’ voice is growing weaker. “For the Pack.” Louis blinks up at Harry.

Harry feels defeated. He knows he doesn’t have long to decide; he either kills his Alpha to obtain the title or let Louis die, allowing a long process of finding another Alpha for the Pack. “Liam.” He’s struck with an idea. “Where’s Liam?”

“Here. I’m here, sir.” Liam pushes past the crowd that has gathered around Harry and Louis. The Hunters had left without a fuss when they were given the information about the status of the Pack’s Alpha. The Pack had made sure to chase after the Hunters, wanting to kill more, but ultimately just making sure that the invaders were out of their territory before dashing back to their leader.

“Liam, you, you need to…” More tears escape. This is the best option, he knows that he won’t be able to live without Louis by his side, too much emotional pain to continue his life. “Liam, _please_.” He can’t bring himself to say the words, the promise he wants the Third-in-Command to make. Liam swallows around the lump in his throat. He understands.

“Harry, I can’t…”

“Please, you have to.” Harry’s frantic, he can feel Louis’ heartbeat failing. “Please.” A broken sobs rips from Harry’s mouth. “Liam!”

“C-change him.”  Liam tries. Harry shakes his head.

“He’s far too weak for m-my bite to change him. It would only…” Harry swallows around the large lump in his throat. He has to be the strong one now. He has to take charge of the situation because their Alpha is unable to. “…k-kill him faster. Liam, you…you have to.”

Liam swallows around the large lump in his throat. “Okay.” Liam, always the loyal one. Harry knows, without a doubt, that the Pack will continue to flourish. They will mourn the loss of the dynamic duo who has allowed the Pack to grow in unimaginable ways. It will be Liam who will get the Pack to the greatness it had been before the tragedy. The Pack is in great hands. Harry is proud of his Pack brother and will be eternally grateful for Liam’s sacrifice and strength.

His only regret will be leaving Liam behind and unable to see the soon-to-be Alpha’s accomplishments.

“Thank you.” There should be more said, more promises about the Pack’s future, but neither man can conjure up the words at the moment, too in shock about the activities taking place.

Harry leans down, placing his mouth at the juncture of Louis’ neck, where his weak pulse can be felt. “I love you.” Harry closes his eyes, baring his teeth and biting into the bloodied flesh of Louis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that happened. It is an open ending, just felt fitting for this story.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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